Vajracharya Priest’s Crown
Not on view
The conical crown is unique to Newar Buddhism and represents older, now-lost Indian Buddhist practices. This example is exceptional for its complexity: It is dominated by a series of diadem plaques depicting various emanations of the wisdom bodhisattva Manjushri, who is both benign and wrathful, and eight smaller plaques of gift-granting goddesses. A five-pronged thunderbolt (vajra) scepter surmounts the crown. This unique iconography indicates that the crown was designed for enacting rites dedicated to invoking Manjushri.
Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.
