Painted Tibetan Altar Cabinet - 19th Century Period - 18th Century 5 x 55 (wxdxh cms)

5 x 55 (wxdxh cms)

As these were once very practical items used daily

most experts believe that true porcelain - which also originated in China - didn't emerge in the region until the Han Dynasty -(202 BC to 220 AD

Designed to hold incense or joss sticks

Painted Tibetan Altar Cabinet - 19th Century Period - 18th Century 5 x 55 (wxdxh cms)This excellent example of an antique Tibetan painted altar cabinet dates to the 19th century and is from Central Tibet. Buddhist shrine cabinets like this are unusual to find now and would originally have been used for housing statues of deities. These altars were called chshom and housed in the chapel of a private home. Every home had a chapel (chkhang) and most had an altar of some fashion. Originally this would almost certainly have been made with