beslag

“The richly carved plate, in deep relief and slightly convex, PI. Ill, 6, presents
some problems difficult to solve. Its outer shape is complete, but unfortunately
the central figure is considerably damaged. Along the edges there is a row of small
holes indicating that the object has been attached to some kind of support.
The ornamentation is undoubtedly of a Buddhist-Tantric character, its close
relationship to other Khotan art of Indian origin at the same time being palpable.
It is thus possible to compare the flulTy tail-feathers of the birds with human
upper parts of the body that support the vessel for holy water at the bottom with
fragments of pottery from Yotkan.® The upper half of the relief contains a hexa-
gram whose six angles are each filled with a similar standing figure. The figure

inside the central hexagram cannot very well be definitely determined. Evidently
it is a divinity whose one foot is placed on a prostrate human figure. The right
arm is raised above the shoulder and holds an object, the left rests against the
breast. The whole figure brings to mind a Lamaistic mandala. The central figure
might be interpreted as a dakini, e. g. Simhavaktra.^ The hexagram is borne
and supported by another six female figures which may be considered as yakshini

It is difficult to say how this remarkable object was used, but it should be pointed
out that it greatly resembles the bone aprons that are still used by Tibetan Lama
monks for certain ceremonies. The central figure, too, may be the same in both
cases.* On the other hand, the object in the Hedin collection is much more
richly ornamented and is made with greater finesse and in better agreement
wdth Indian prototypes. Additional finds and more material for comparisons
may perhaps in the future make possible a definite interpretation”.
Pl. III.6, Montell 1938, p.98-99

https://archive.org/details/Bulletin10_201704/page/n153/mode/2up

This plaque may have been one piece of a ritual apron or chest adornment composing of other bone plaques and beads. They were worn over textile costumes during ritual dances carried out by Buddhist monks. It is possible that it is made from human bone. The deity depicted probably represents Vajrayogini./Michel Lee 2020-08