Conch Shell (Shankha) – Buddhist Ritual Object with Filigree
Created in the workshop of Shanta Shakya in Patan, Nepal. One of a kind.
Shankha on a round stand. The conch shell horn is engraved, worked in filigree, silver-plated, set with colored stones. The Buddhist conch shell horn is known in Tibetan as dung kar. Its sound symbolizes the Buddha's teaching, and it serves as a ritual instrument throughout the Himalayan region.
The shankha stands upright in a round copper stand, with the mouthpiece oriented upward. The shell bears the engraved depiction of the Medicine Buddha (Bhaisajyaguru). The engraved lines are recessed with a dark patina. A scarf shaped ornamental element drops from the mouthpiece down to both sides of the conch shell.
The conch shell mount and stand are worked in filigree. Thin wire is bent into spirals, filled with small arched elements, and joined in an ornamental pattern. Set colored stones accentuate the filigree.
The shankha follows the established iconographic conventions of Vajrayana art in the Kathmandu Valley, in which form, symbolic meaning, and ornament are brought together into a balanced composition.
Shankha
Conch shell carved, copper stand, decorated with fine filigree, silver-plated, set with colored stones. The object is patinated. Handmade in Nepal.
- Height: 10" / 26 cm
- Width: 9" / 23 cm
- Depth: 5.5" / 13 cm
- Weight: 895 g
Manufacturer information
This work was created in the tradition of Buddhist art of the Kathmandu Valley.
Manufacturer: P.B. Craft (Shanta Shakya)
Address: Nagbahal 408, Lalitpur, Nepal
Importer / Responsible Person in the EU: Yala Craft UG (haftungsbeschränkt)
Address: Jülicher Str. 72, 40477 Düsseldorf, Germany
Contact: hallo@yala-craft.com
Country of Origin: Nepal