Elephant Bell with Miniature Elephant

Elephant Bell with Miniature Elephant

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Its' shape and the animal standing on one side towards the top indicate that this exquisitely cast bell once adorned an elephant. Indian elephants, also native to mainland Southeast Asia, were used for transportation and treasured for their ivory.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Elephant Bell with Miniature ElephantElephant Bell with Miniature ElephantElephant Bell with Miniature ElephantElephant Bell with Miniature ElephantElephant Bell with Miniature Elephant

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.