Tree-shaped Fragment of a Royal Crown by Anonymous

Tree-shaped Fragment of a Royal Crown c. 7th - 8th century

ornate

natural stone pattern

3d sculpting

3d printed part

jewelry design

structure design

sculptural image

stoneware

ceramic

structured

This gold, tree-shaped fragment, dating back to the 7th-8th century, is likely part of a royal crown. The intricate design features delicate branches adorned with small, spherical elements, possibly gemstones, that would have once shimmered in the light. The craftsmanship of this object highlights the artistry of its anonymous creator, a testament to the advanced techniques utilized in ancient crown making. The fragment's unique shape and adornment likely contributed to the regal aura of the original crown, symbolizing power, authority, and the wearer's connection to the natural world.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Since the early years of Buddhism in South Asia, Buddhists have enshrined funerary relics in stupas, or burial mounds. As Buddhism spread to Northeast Asia in subsequent centuries, thousands of stupas—often tower-like and dubbed “pagodas’” in the West—were constructed, each embedded with bone fragments or other relics (sarira) housed within a multi-layered reliquary. Many of these sacred burials included precious stones and jewels as well as other sacred objects alongside the primary reliquary holder. This tree-shaped decoration, once attached to the band of a royal crown, is believed to have been buried alongside a pavilion-shaped reliquary (2019.21).