Box containing spectacles and jewellery, from set of funerary offerings

Add to album

This presentation box of simulated spectacles and jewellery, bought from a funerary goods supplier in Singapore, is from a boxed set of paper and cardboard offerings for a man. The offerings represent a full set of symbolic possessions for the afterlife.

The cardboard box, wrapped in cellophane, contains a pair of Western-type spectacles, together with a watch, pendant and ring, all made of gold coloured cardboard. The box has prestige trade mark labels 'HB' and 'JIN LONG'.

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

To search on related items, click any underlined text below.

• Online ID: 000-100-104-905-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  K.1999.1166
• Date: 1999
  
• Material: Paper; card
  Box / watch / glasses / ring / pen / necklace
  
• Dimensions: 22 mm H x 180 mm L x 130 mm W
  
• What: Box / watch / glasses / ring / pen / necklace
  
• Subject: Paper offering
  
• Who:
• Where: Singapore
  
• Event:
• Description: Blue box comprising gold paper watch, glasses, ring, pen and necklace, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999
  
• References:
• Translations:
• Related Records: