Anthropology Artifacts Collection | Wheaton College Archives & Special Collections

Collection Overview

Title: Anthropology Artifacts Collection

ID: WC-Anth/Main

Extent: 0.0

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The anthropology artifacts collection contains a wide range of items that document the material culture from around the world and was received as gifts. The artifact descriptions were created from existing information created near the time of acquisition as well as research conducted by students.

Box and Folder Listing

Item 289: GH-223-XXX -- Likely a Honh bell

Bronze or Brass Bell with a long handle that is cast in one piece. The bell is ornately decorated with a depiction of the goddess, Indra on the handle of the bell (WCMCF n.d).

References Cited: Field Museum of Natural History, N.D. Tibet Exhibit. (Sept. 18, 2006) Sensanbaugh, Jean. N.D. Research on the Religious Objects in the Collection of the Wheaton College Anthropology Department. Paper prepared for the Wheaton College Anthropology Department, Wheaton College

Vahi, Peeter. 1992 Buddhist Music of Mongolia. Leonardo Music Journal 2(1): 49-53 Vandor, Ivan. 1974 Cymbals and Trumpets from the Roof of the World." Music Educators Journal 61(1): 106-109, 145-46. Wheaton College Museum Card File. N.D. File available in department of Soc-Anthro"

Additional Information: File links available at JSTOR: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0961-1215%281992%292%3A1%3C49%3ABMOM%3E2.0.CO%3B2-W http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0027-4321%28197409%2961%3A1%3C106%3ACATFT%22%3E2.0.CO%3B2-0

Culture: Tibetan Buddhism, with links to Northern India and Tantrism (Vandor 1974:107).

Culture Area: Tibet; particularly related to the Buddhist Lamas and Tibetan Buddhist monasteries

Date Acquired: 1957 March

Dimensions: 15cm (height) x 7.5cm (width)

Donor: [Unknown]

General Area of the World: Asia- China Sphere

Material: Brass or bronze

Outline of Cultural Materials Code: 534: Musical instruments, 778: Sacred objects and places

Outline of World Cultures Code: [undetermined]

Use and Background: When Buddhism first reached Tibet in the 7th and 8th centuries, it brought with it a rich musical tradition rooted in Northern India. With close ties to early Buddhist and Hindu Tantrism, this musical tradition sought to infuse music with worship. This Tibetan bell provides a good example of that link. The bell was used for god worship by Buddhist Lamas and may also have been used to frighten away enemies of Buddhism" (WCMCF). Since music is closely linked with Buddhist religion, lamasteries or monasteries also served as schools of music where monks received advanced training in vocal and instrumental technique (Vandor 1974:108). The religious significance of the bell is especially apparent in its design; one need only look at the handle, which depicts the goddess Indra surrounded by thunderbolts (FMNH nd). According to the Tibet display at the Chicago Museum of Field History, "the thunderbolt, or darje, is a sign of compassion, the trait devout Tibetans value above all others (FMNH nd). The base of the bell contains an ornate, repetitive pattern that is suiting to god/goddess worship and denotes a sense of status/nobility. The inside of the bell has a clangor. The religious purpose of the bell is also seen in its shape, which has links to Tantrism. The shape of the hand bell is similar to the shape of the "mandala" which is the "geometrical figure representing the nature of the world (Indian)" (Vandor 1974:145). It is likely that this bell is a honh (or a smaller replica of the honh), a bell of Indian origin which played a very important role in Lamaist musical rituals (Vahi 1992:51). According to Peeter Vahi, "a honh is a bronze, brass, or silver bell that is cast as one piece with its handle... [w]hen played, the bell is always held in the left hand. When the bell is shaken, the clapper inside creates a high piercing sound that symbolizes ultimate transcendental wisdom" (Vahi 1992:51). Vahi's description of the honh bell is similar to the description found in a Wheaton College essay by Jean Sensanbaugh, who states: "the bell is held in the left hand with the opening pointed toward the body, the thumb being pressed against the handle and the fingers being laid around the body of the bell; at the same time the lama holds the thunderbolt in his right" (Sensanbaugh nd:4-5). Tibetan Buddhist music is both "extremely subtle and complex," and is part of an ancient Buddhist tradition that celebrates music "with and essentially spiritual purpose" (Vandor 1974:108). This type of music also requires a high level of skill and was performed both inside and outside the monastery. As Vandor writes, "[i]nside it accompanies religious ceremonies, particularly in prayer halls, and sometimes, for certain rites in the courtyard. It is played as a signal for lamas to being their meditation in their cells or to make offerings to certain divinities...[o]utside of the monastery it is performed in private homes for births, marriages, deaths, and for other special occasions, or because someone wished to receive 'merit' as to obtain better reincarnation" (Vandor 1974:109). This particular type of honh bell appears to be very common, as the Chicago Field Museum of History has a large display of very similar bells in their Tibet display. Although the largest of these bells was up to 25cm tall, smaller ones appear more popular as they were easier to use and create. The pattern on this bell was most likely a traditional design for all honh bells of this time period as they all incorporated the goddess Indra surrounded by lightning "