Buddhist ritual conch shell with a dancing Hevajra

This bronze takes the form of a conch shell, a vessel used in both Buddhist and Hindu rituals. Blown at the beginning of ceremonies, the instrument makes the sound of the sacred syllable “Om, ” believed to purify the mind before meditation. Buddhism and Hinduism were often practiced side by side in the kingdoms of Southeast Asia; however, Hinduism was the official religion of Khmer kings until the conversion to Buddhism of Jayavarman VII (reign c. 1181–1218), after which Buddhist art flourished. The embellished bronze features a dancing, multiheaded Hevajra, a key deity in Vajrayana Buddhism, a sect that emphasizes ritual as a means to enlightenment.