Kofukuji Temple Central Golden Hall: Votive Objects

JAPAN; Nara period

These votive objects were recovered from the Sumeru altar of the Central Golden Hall at Kofukuji Temple between 1874 and 1884. There are over 1,400 objects, including bowls, dishes, stemmed cups, mirrors, and hexagonal containers. Most of the objects are in the collection of Tokyo National Museum, with a small number kept at Kofukuji Temple. They were listed as a National Treasure in 1958.
The bowl with a flower pattern is made of gilt silver. It is a shallow bowl with a flat base and wide opening. It is 3.3 cm high and 9.4 cm in diameter. The exterior features engraved floral patterns alternating with flower buds and leaves on a stipple background.
The gilt bronze bowl is shallow with a flat base. It is small with a height of only 2.8 cm and a diameter of 9.2 cm. The exterior features scroll leaf, flower bud, and leaf patterns on a stipple background.
The bronze mirror has images of two phoenixes and some floral patterns. There is a raised boss in the center. The other bronze mirror is small with images of two butterflies in the inner circle, and flowers alternating with clouds in the outer circle. There is also a raised boss in the center.