‘Tsampa’ is a staple food in Tibet. Tsampa flour is made from toasted barley and mixed using the fingers with tea, yak butter, and possibly with vegetables, goat’s cheese etc. to form a porridge that is stored in and eaten from bowls such as this one.
The present richly decorated tsampa lidded box is made of wood, dyed a blackish brown and probably – on the grounds of its sacred decoration – belonged to a ‘Lama’ (monk). The individual components of the decoration are embossed onto sheets of bronze-brass: the centre of the outside of the lid bears the face of a Mahakala (important Tibetan god, protector of Buddha’s teachings), surrounded by lotus flowers set with red and blue glass beads. Additionally, this is encircled by rows of sketched faces, lotus flowers etc.
The bowl beneath bears the same rows of faces, lotus flowers with glass beads, encircled by a row of Buddha figures, alternating between standing and sitting in the earth-touching gesture (‘bhumisparsa mudra’). Small representations of the ritual object known as ‘dorje’ (diamond sceptre) are mounted between the Buddhas. There is just one small appliqué missing from the edge of the lid. Otherwise, no damage.
Height: 11.5 cm;
Diameter: 13 cm. First half to mid-20th century. (ME)