Amulet for keeping off all evils, a strip of paper with a printed picture of a priest and the palm of a hand.

Collection type: Object
Description: Amulet for keeping off all evils, a strip of paper with a printed picture of a priest and the palm of a hand.
Geographical reference: Japan
Asia > Eastern Asia > Japan
Cultural groups: Japanese
Person: Field collector Basil Hall Chamberlain; PRM source Basil Hall Chamberlain
Date / Period: Date made: Before 1908
Date collected: By 1908
Acquisition information: Donated: 1908
Materials and processes: Material Paper Plant, Material Ink, Material Pigment, Process Printed
Dimensions: Width: max 57 mm, Length: max 252 mm
Object numbers: Accession number: 1908.82.146 Other numbers: Chamberlain no. 127
Research and responses: This object was examined along with others from the Chamberlain Collection by Sekiko Matsuzaki-Petitmengin in June 2003 and 15 October 2007. She placed this object within the category of Ofuda [SM 13/10/2008]
This object was examined by Professor Itaru Chijiwa during his research visit in November 2008. He noted a Sanskrit letter "A-nku" stamped in red ink at the top of the amulet. This means "dai nichi nyorai" in Japanese. He also noted that the figure is of Jizo (possibly Jizo bosatsu) and that the printed image of a palm is Kobo Daishi's hand. Daishi means priest. [SM 01/12/2008]
The inscription on this object was transcribed and translated by Fusa McLynn who volunteered at the Museum in 2009 as: “Kobo daishi gotehan” - Handprint of Kobo Daishi. [SM 19/2/2009]

Search