Description
A Tibetan gau is a small, usually metal altar shrine, portable reliquary, or container for relics or amulets worn on a necklace or in the hair. A gau may consist of a small statue of a Tibetan deity or Buddha, or similar representations, such as miniature paintings called tsakli. These small statues can be made of metal, wood, or stone; a clay statue made using molds is called a tsatsa. The latter may be consecrated by high-ranking Vajrayana lamas, or the clay may be mixed with the ashes of a deceased lama. A gau can hold relics such as bone fragments, hair, fragments of clothing from deceased teachers, passages from religious texts, or medicinal herbs. Metal amulets called thokchas can also be placed in a gau. A gau typically consists of two parts and is composed according to the nature of the casket. The front is usually worked with copper, silver, or gold leaf and can be further decorated with gemstones such as coral and turquoise, or with pearls. It usually bears an image of a Buddha, deity, or Buddhist auspicious symbol, and larger examples have a small window in the center. The back is usually made of copper and may feature inscriptions of religious symbols. Larger examples are rectangular, with the upper part usually arching upwards, while smaller examples are square, polygonal, or round and are worn on a necklace or with a clasp in the hair. The larger, non-portable gau is used for the home altar. Nomads also usually own portable gau, but they can also be found on the tent altar. Portable gau are worn with a cloth or leather belt over the shoulder, allowing them to hang at the side or behind the body. This method of wearing gaus is especially common during pilgrimages. The smaller gau can be worn permanently around the neck or in the hair. They are made of valuable materials and are worn on holidays.
