Buddhist Ritual Bell
Unknown Artist
1300s
Medium
bronze; with incised designs
Dimensions
{"overall":{"height":0.178,"width":0.066}}
Classification
Metalwork
Department
Korean Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mitsuru Tajima
Accession Number
1998.123
About this artwork
This Buddhist ritual bell is called the "five-pronged" bell due to the four prongs bending toward a central prong at the end of the handle. This shape is a vajra, or lightning bolt, a powerful and important symbol in esoteric Buddhism, which originated in India, spread across Asia, and was practiced in Korea.