Small Tibetan exquisite antique Gao or prayer box
Small Tibetan exquisite antique Gao or prayer box
In Tibet Gao boxes are used to store images of ones own personal deities or Buddha with other sacred objects. When traveling Tibetans hang on their neck or around the shoulder. At home, they hang on the wall. Tibetans believe that it provide protection from evil and keep away from harm way. These were used in Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and Mongolia, the Gau box usually contains a written prayer or a sacred yantra diagram such as the kalachakra. This probably dates to the mid or late 19th century. It would be a great collection item to have.
