Reliquary in the Shape of a Stupa

Reliquary in the Shape of a Stupa

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Miniature stupas were used in Sri Lankan Buddhism as relic containers. A hierarchy of relics, ranked by their closeness, both physically and in time, to the person of the Buddha himself, was acknowledged in early Buddhism. The Buddha's corporeal remains were the highest form of relic, and over time, those associated with revered teachers assumed a similar, if lesser, status. Stupa reliquaries of this type were used to house the ashes of revered monks.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Reliquary in the Shape of a StupaReliquary in the Shape of a StupaReliquary in the Shape of a StupaReliquary in the Shape of a StupaReliquary in the Shape of a Stupa

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.