Sandook - Ancient Himachal Chest

This carved solid wood tribal chest comes from the state of himachal pradesh, in northwest india. Home of the dalai lama, the tibetan influence is very strong in this region, dotted with monasteries and buddhist temples. The construction of this chest reflects the lifestyle of its former owners. Nomads, they had to be able to transport their possessions during their travels. So this chest is not joined with nails, but with a system of tenons and keys which allows it to be dismantled and reassembled easily. The bas-relief of this chest depicts scenes from daily life, in this case a man and a woman sharing a hookah, peacocks and other characters. The cover, once opened, can be secured using a hook. Its closure with its metal chain is original. This raw-looking chest is characteristic of the himalayan region. Similar ones can be found as far away as pakistan and even afghanistan, most often with geometric sculptures, notably rosettes. You will find many old chests on the market similar to this one but with rosette motifs: be wary because for the most part the sculptures have been added recently.