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Yarhu: Nested Reliquaries
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Yarhu: Nested Reliquaries
CHINA, Xinjiang, Turpan; Southern Song to Yuan dynasty (1127–1368), 13th century; Copper and silver; H: 4 cm; Xinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Urumqi, China
These nested reliquaries, relics, and pearls were excavated from the site of Yarhu in Xinjiang in 1994. They are dated to the 13th century, at the time of transition from the Song to the Yuan dynasty.
The reliquaries consist of two identical cylindrical boxes with lids. The outer box is 4 cm high with a diameter of 1.7 cm, and the inner box measures 2.8 cm high and 0.9 cm in diameter. There is paper lining the bottom of the box and it contains five relics wrapped in cloth and three pearls. The relics are in different sizes and appear to glisten. |
