Reliquary

THAILAND / CAMBODIA

This is part of a 12th–14th century reliquary that was made in either Thailand or Cambodia. It is thought that it was originally placed inside a brick stupa.
At the bottom, Bodhi tree leaves alternate with seated Buddha images rather than the usual depictions of garudas and nagas. The lower section is shaped like an inverted bowl, with Buddha images seated in the center and top where the vertical and horizontal bands intersect. The right hand forms the bhumisparsa (earth-touching) mudra, while the left rests on the lap. The top section, supported by an upright lotus, is conical and is divided into five tiers which decrease in height. On each tier, there are seated Buddhas with hands forming the dhyana (meditation) mudra. The spire consists of stacked rings surmounted by a finial in the form of a slender cylinder.