China, Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) / 1271–1368
Mirror with Lotus and Mantra
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Mirror with Lotus and Mantra as metalwork (China, Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) · 1271–1368).
A mantra, or meditative statement, is embedded in the petals of the lotus flower on the mirror's back.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this metalwork as bronze.
The museum's collection notes: This mirror features intricate Buddhist designs. Around the central knob are four leaves, a ring of tiny beads, and then a circle made up of small lotus flower designs. Outside of that are eight big petal shapes, inside each is a Sanskrit letter. The mirror has the phrase "In the name of Om mani padme hum " written in a slightly incorrect form of Sanskrit, possibly because the Chinese mirror maker was not familiar with the language.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtMirror with Lotus and MantraOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.