Name/TitleCarving of a cross on incense wood, Tokyo National Museum, N-112/3.

About this objectFragrant wood, including sandalwood and agarwood [see EXH60], was widely used in Japan in this period for Buddhist funerary rituals, where it was often burned in front of the tablet of the deceased, and also for crafting objects:. It was believed to be moth repelllant and so was made into tubes for burying Buddhist manuscripts.
These pieces contain inscriptions in Sogdian and Middle Persian and a carving, the bottom part of which has been interpreted as a Nestorian cross (a cross with four equal arms).

Date Made7th-8th c.

PeriodAsuka-Nara

Subject and Association KeywordsCrosses

Subject and Association KeywordsCoda

Subject and Association KeywordsSmellscapes

Subject and Association DescriptionLearn More: Tono 1987; Yajima 1989

Medium and Materialssandalwood

TechniqueCarved

Measurements60.3 × 9.0 cm

Credit LineTokyo National Museum

Object numberEXH142: N-112/3