Miniature stupa

Miniature Stupas

Stupas—originally mounds enshrining the ashes of deceased holy persons—were among the most important of Buddhist monuments. Miniature stupas were common, and served several purposes. They could be donated to monasteries as offerings or, if hollow like several of these, they could hold relics or sacred objects such as religious texts. Sometimes they were (and still are) used for holding the ashes of loved ones.