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Rubin Museum of Art
Offering Table
Rubin Museum of Art
Rubin Museum of Art

Offering Table

OriginTibet
Date18th century
Dimensions8 × 20 5/8 × 8 in. (Open)
MediumWood, silver, gilding
Classification(s)
Credit LineRubin Museum of Art
Object numberC2011.10
DescriptionOffering tables (chog tri) are used for butter lamps, offering bowls, and other offerings and are decorated with images appropriate for this purpose. Auspicious symbols, animals representing the directions - garuda, tiger, dragon, and snow lion - and images of offerings are typical. In this example's decoration, a lama, or ritual master, presents a symbolic offering of the universe in the form of a mandala. Its front features eight offering goddesses with the Seven Symbols of a Universal Ruler (Sanskrit: chakravartin). The side panels depict eight kinds of offerings, and below them are the Eight Auspicious Symbols divided between each panel.