This ga’u or Tibetan amulet box in brass, comprises two halves. These are decorated with fine scrolling cloisonné work. On the front it has a large central panel that is where a stylised kalachakra ideogram stands out. Much of the rest of the decoration consist of scrolling stylised lotus motifs interspersed with stylised Chinese bat motifs on a yellow ground.Such Tibetan amulets were normally worn suspended from the neck to provide protection for the wearer. They were used to hold auspicious texts and probably some blessed talismanic objects. Typically, such boxes were worn when the owner was travelling. For long or difficult journeys as many as a dozen might have been worn to face all directions to protect the individual from evil no matter what direction it might come
