Lot 173
173
A bronze conch shell
A bronze conch shell

KHMER, ANGKOR PERIOD, BAYON STYLE, LATE 12TH/EARLY 13TH CENTURY

Details
A bronze conch shell
Khmer, Angkor period, Bayon style, late 12th/early 13th Century
Well cast with flaring tip bordered by flaming leafy scrolls, with a spiral base with beaded borders, the central panel molded with a dancing Hevajra flanked by images of dancing female attendants in relief, beneath an arched mandorla framed by scrolling composite dragons
14 in. (36.2 cm.) long

Lot Essay

Primarily associated with the Hindu god Vishnu, the conch was used in both Hindu and Buddhist rituals in late 12th and early 13th century Cambodia when a unique theology, incorporating various beliefs, developed as a result of the last of the great Hindu god-kings, Jayavarman VII, converting to Buddhism. Conches were used both as musical instruments and as receptacles for holy water.