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Prayer Wheel (Mani Wheel)

Tibetan

Artwork Details

Prayer Wheel (Mani Wheel)
mid 19th century - early 20th century
Tibetan
metal, wood, bone, and turquoise
8 11/16 in x 1 3/4 in x 1 3/4 in (22.1 cm x 4.5 cm x 4.5 cm);8 11/16 in x 1 3/4 in x 1 3/4 in (22.1 cm x 4.5 cm x 4.5 cm)
Gift of the Estate of Maxine W. Kunstadter in memory of Sigmund Kunstadter, Class of 1922
1983/1.424

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Description

Subject Matter:

A mani, or prayer wheel, a common ritual object used in Tibetan Buddhism. A hand-written or printed prayer is placed inside the hollow core of the wheel drum; when a believer spins the drum from left to right (the direction the prayers are written), he or she attains the same religoius merit as when reciting the prayers aloud.

Physical Description:

An example of a 'mani' or prayer wheel, a common ritual object used in Tibetan Buddhism: a device made a handle (here a wooden stick, with simple incised line designs) supporting a hollow cylindrical drum on a spindle. Here the drum is elaboratedly decorated with rows of inset turquoise stones, as well as a row of Sanskit letters in bone. A small weight of bone attached to one one side of the drum with a metal chain, allows the wheel to spin with a slight rotation of the wrist.

Usage Rights:

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