Gold and silver ingots, from set of funerary offerings

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These paper ingots, bought from a funerary goods supplier in Singapore, are from a boxed set of paper and cardboard offerings for a man. The offerings represent symbolic possessions for the afterlife, including various currency types for use as bribes.

These gold and silver ingots are made of brownish paper, printed with rectangles of metallic colour to resemble gold and silver. Some have a red panel as well. The ingot shape is made by simple paper folding (origami). There were 60 in the box.

These symbolic possessions are burned in a night-time Daoist funerary ceremony, several weeks after the deceased's cremation. It is a widespread contemporary tradition in south-east Asia. The cardboard items are burned to ensure a comfortable afterlife.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-190-002-304-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  K.1999.1207
• Date: 1999
  1999
  1999
  1999
  1999
  1999
  1999
  1999
  1999
  1999
  
• Material: Card, buff; red ink; gold leaf
  Card, buff; red ink; gold leaf
  Card, buff; red ink; gold leaf
  Card, buff; red ink; gold leaf
  Card, buff; red ink; gold leaf
  Card, buff; silver leaf
  Card, buff; silver leaf
  Card, buff; silver leaf
  Card, buff; silver leaf
  Card, buff; silver leaf
  Ingot
  Ingot
  Ingot
  Ingot
  Ingot
  Ingot
  Ingot
  Ingot
  Ingot
  Ingot
  
• Dimensions: 38 mm H x 125 mm L x 30 mm W
  38 mm H x 125 mm L x 30 mm W
  38 mm H x 125 mm L x 30 mm W
  38 mm H x 125 mm L x 30 mm W
  38 mm H x 125 mm L x 30 mm W
  46 mm H x 130 mm L x 30 mm W
  46 mm H x 130 mm L x 30 mm W
  46 mm H x 130 mm L x 30 mm W
  46 mm H x 130 mm L x 30 mm W
  46 mm H x 130 mm L x 30 mm W
  
• What: Ingot
  Ingot
  Ingot
  Ingot
  Ingot
  Ingot
  Ingot
  Ingot
  Ingot
  Ingot
  
• Subject: Paper offering
  Paper offering
  Paper offering
  Paper offering
  Paper offering
  Paper offering
  Paper offering
  Paper offering
  Paper offering
  Paper offering
  
• Who:
• Where: Singapore
  Singapore
  Singapore
  Singapore
  Singapore
  Singapore
  Singapore
  Singapore
  Singapore
  Singapore
  
• Event:
• Description: Buff coloured card in the form of an ingot decorated in red ink and gold leaf, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999
  Buff coloured card in the form of an ingot decorated in red ink and gold leaf, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999
  Buff coloured card in the form of an ingot decorated in red ink and gold leaf, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999
  Buff coloured card in the form of an ingot decorated in red ink and gold leaf, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999
  Buff coloured card in the form of an ingot decorated in red ink and gold leaf, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999
  Buff coloured card in the form of an ingot decorated with silver leaf, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999
  Buff coloured card in the form of an ingot decorated with silver leaf, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999
  Buff coloured card in the form of an ingot decorated with silver leaf, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999
  Buff coloured card in the form of an ingot decorated with silver leaf, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999
  Buff coloured card in the form of an ingot decorated with silver leaf, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999
  
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• Translations:
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