Altar bowl with Tibetan inscription

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This type of vessel was used as a ceremonial tea bowl with a metal or lacquer saucer. The Tibetan inscription around its body offers auspicious wishes to the user. The same inscription was incised into the bowl’s interior, an investment of craftsmanship that speaks to the exceptional quality of the piece.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art