336 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



VOL. 5V>. 



267 Censer.— Bronze. The cover, in open work is surmounted 

 bj\ crouching mythical animal. Around the circumference are 

 embossed trees with various birds perching in them. Height, 5* 

 inches; diameter, 31 inches. Japan. (Cat. No. 311806, U.S.N.M.) 

 Bequest of Miss Elizabeth S. Stevens. m 



268 Censer.— Bronze. Resting on three legs which are of animal- 

 headed human figures. The lid is surmounted by a mythical animal. 

 Height, 51 inches; diameter, 41 inches. Seoul, Korea. (Cat. JNo. 



151618, U.S.N.M.) TTOAUf . 



269 Jncenw.— Burma. (Cat. No. 129531, U.S.N.M.) 

 270. Incense.-J^n. (Cat. No. 130685, U.S.N.M.) _ 



271 Flower vase.— Brass. Placed before Buddhist shrmes. Height, 

 5 inches; diameters, 4 and 2 J inches. Probably China. (Cat. No. 

 158313, U.S.N.M.) . 



272. Lotus cup.— Bronze. Eight-fluted cup set in a quadruple 

 eight-petaled lotus, with short stem and base of an inverted eight- 

 .petaled lotus. The lid has twenty perforations for inserting flowers. 

 Height, 4f inches; diameter, 2* inches. India (!). Cat. No. 311/96, 

 U S°N M.) Bequest of Miss Eizabeth S. Stevens. 



273 Holy water vase (Tibetan, bumba or tsebum).— Made of brass 

 heavily gilded in Persian shape, with a large spherical body and slender 

 bent spout. The neck is short and narrow and terminates ma flar- 

 ing mouth in shape like an overturned bowl. In the top of this is a 

 small circular opening, in which a chased metal tube fits, reaching 

 far down into the vase, and in its upper end a bunch of the sacred Tcusa 

 grass and some peacock feathers. This instrument is the aspergil. 

 The vase has a covering of silk fastened around the neck so as to 

 completely hide the vase. Such coverings are put on most objects 

 used in the temple worship, on the sacred images, books, etc., prob- 

 ably as a mode of honoring these sacred objects. The water used m 

 these vases has a little saffron in it, and sometimes a little sugar. 

 The vase is used especially in the ceremonies connected with the wor- 

 ship of Tsepamed (Amitayus), the Buddha of long life (see No. 137 , 

 and is called the vase of life. Height, 6 J inches. Kumbum, Tibet. 

 (Cat. No. 130402, U.S.N.M.) . 



274. Libation bowl.-U^de of a human skull with a lining of iron 

 and an ornamented copper gilt rim fitting on it. The cover of 

 copper gilt is finely and intricately chased and has on each side 

 the mystic syllable om with an arabesque design surrounding it 

 The top of the cover is surmounted with four half vajras (dorjes) 

 at right angles, a fifth and larger one forming the handle lhe 

 stand on which the skull rests is of gilt copper and triangular in 

 shape. At the three angles are human heads, painted red, white, 

 and green. The skull bowl is likewise used in the worship of 

 Tsepamed, when it is filled with nectar brewed from chang. After 



