
Clay
This tsatsa is in the form of a stupa and was excavated from Toling Monastery. It was made from the white clay of Ngari.
The round base curves outward with the stupa resting on its rim. The lowest part is stamped with lotus petals, followed by octagonal tiers, the last of which is higher compared with those below. The dome is shaped like an inverted bowl and is surmounted by the spire, which consists of a slender cone followed by a sun, horizontal crescent moon, and jewel. The lowest octagonal tier has four small holes, in which sticks with disks made of clay can be inserted.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Artifacts, page 349.