ancestor tablet

Ancestor tablet, covered in red lacquer and gilt, of which the main wooden panel has two vertical columns of script with a decorative border. The main panel is inserted into a wooden back panel with a carved dragon above. The image of the open-mouthed dragon projects over the top. Below this is a crest. These two panels fit into a rectangular wooden base which has a hole, square in section, underneath, presumably for the tablet to slot on to a supporting post. Around the border of the main panel are two carved dragons, one on each side, and abstract shapes top and bottom. The left column of the script, five characters, is the name of the person who paid for the shrine, the right column of 17 characters, is the name of the deceased. The carved base panel has two mythological guardian creatures, one each side of a peony.

object
MUSEUM NUMBER
21.4.61/80
PLACE
COLLECTION
MEASUREMENTS
overall: 425 x 90 x 165 mm
MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE
wood; lacquer
CATEGORY
Anthropology: Ethnography
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Collection Information

These objects are only a part of our collections, of which there are more than 350,000 objects. This information comes from our collections database. Some of this is incomplete and there may be errors. This part of the website is also still under construction, so there may be some fields repeated or incorrectly formatted information.

The database retains language taken from historical documents to help research. Please note that some records may feature language and reflect systems of thinking that are outdated and offensive. The database also includes information on objects that are considered secret or sacred by some communities.

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