Bongseori Three-Tier Pagoda: Reliquaries

SOUTH KOREA, North Gyeongsang, Mungyeong; Unified Silla dynasty

This set includes a silver reliquary bottle, an octagonal gilt bronze reliquary box, and a gold standing Bodhisattva, which were recovered from a three-tier pagoda in Bongseori. They were used to enshrine the relics of eminent monks.
The reliquary bottle is 3.1 cm high and has a round body on a narrow base. A short neck is followed by a wide rim. The octagonal reliquary box is 7.9 cm high; its base consists of ogee-shaped openings and its octagonal lid is surmounted by a lotus bud.
The Bodhisattva, who wears a crown and has a nimbus, has a disproportionately slender upper body and thin arms. A stole wraps around the shoulders and flows down to the ground. The lower body is covered in a dhoti.