A ritual conch shell

NEPAL, 17TH CENTURY

Details

A ritual conch shell
Nepal, 17th century
Carved with the yantra of a tantric goddess and the owner's name, twice, in Nagari and Newari scripts
6½ in. (16.4 cm.) wide

Lot Essay

The inscriptions identify this as the personal conch shell of King Pratapmalla of Kathmandu (r. 1641-74) who was a great Tantric practioner, and an innovative king particularly interested in various scripts.

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