Drum (Damaru) (Primary Title)
prayer drum (Object Name)
Unknown (Artist)
Ceremonial musical instruments comprise one broad class of ritual tools. Ranging from percussive cymbals and drums to haunting trumpets, they are played to summon and appease deities and to keep negative spirits at bay. Many of these instruments (91.544.1-2 and 91.537) are made of precious materials or substances imbued with power, including jewels and human bones.
Gift of Berthe and John Ford
Awaken: A Tibetan Buddhist Journey toward Enlightenment, VMFA, Richmond, April 20-August 14, 2019; Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, January 17 – November 29, 2020; Rubin Museum of Art, New York, March 12, 2021 – January 2, 2022
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.