Thangka

Thangkas are Buddhist paintings, usually surrounded by silk or brocade, which are hung on walls and placed on altars to serve as meditational aides.  They are sacred objects, rich in symbolism, and range in size from the very small, being held in the hand, to the very large, sometimes covering an entire hillside.  The central image can be equally as varied including, single figures, assemblages of dieites, astrological diagrams, landscapes or even an entire cosmos. A majority of the thangkas at the Penn Museum come from Tibet where they are often found in homes along side other ritual paraphenalia such as butter lamps, teapots, and water ewers.