Photo: Peter Potrowl

Nested Reliquary Caskets

Tang Dynasty, Famen Si

Another bone relic of the Buddha (see previous pages) was enshrined within this precious set of seven (originally eight) nested caskets. The innermost casket, shown at the bottom of the left photo, is made of solid gold and fashioned in the shape of a pagoda; The others are fashioned, variously, of gold, silver, and silver gilded with gold.