Producer unknown to us
Amulet container
Asia, Tibet, Lhasa
20th century
Silver, coral, leather
Ümit Bir (gynaecologist) acquired the amulet container in Paris, France, on December 24, 1977
On permanent loan from the Dr. Bir Collection Foundation
SB 1091
In Tibet, small amulet containers were woven into the braids of officials and their employees to both protect the wearer and to bless their actions. Part of these amulets is the sceptre-like dorje (Tibetan for diamond, diamond sceptre), the symbol of enlightenment in Tibetan Buddhism. In this example, two crossed dorje are indicated in the flower shape, which symbolises the ultimate stability of being a Buddha.
Gynaecologist Ümit Bir (1929–2014) gathered most of his collection on several trips from Marocco to India from the 1960s to the 1990s. Unfortunately, we still do not know the exact circumstances of the acquisition of this object. Since 2004, the collection has been on permanent loan to the museum from the Dr. Bir Collection Foundation.
Jan König