Sankha shell, India, 18th-19th century

Height x width x depth: 18.5 x 10 x 2.5. Weight: 940.5 g

rapresent one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Tibetan Buddhism and an ancient ritual object of Indian origin. Generally made from the white shell of the Turbinella pyrum species (commonly called Xancus), it has a characteristic spiral shape. It represents the profound and victorious sound that spreads the teachings of the Dharma, reaching every being and awakening them from ignorance and suffering, allowing them to achieve liberation. The term Sankha associated with this object is symbolically associated with Vishnu in the Hindu tradition. The conch has a hole at the tip, designed to be used as a trumpet or wind instrument. The body of the conch shell often depicts Vishnu standing, symbolically dominating a man lying on the ground, expressing divine supremacy and the triumph of the sacred over the profane. This iconographic detail reinforces the meaning of the Sankha as an instrument for spreading the Dharma, awakening beings from ignorance and suffering and leading them towards liberation.