Made by hand in our partner workshop in China  ·  Shipped worldwide  ·  Every symbol comes with its sources
Atlas  /  For safe travels  /  Gau boxNo. 38
Plate IEast Asia · TibetGau box, drawn by Wishlore
Pl. IGau box. A small silver box set with turquoise. Drawing: Wishlore.
No. 38  ·  For safe travels  ·  East Asia

The gau box

A small Tibetan box worn round the neck. People of every rank wore one, with sacred objects and written mantras inside.

Earliest record
Tibetan amulet box, Pitt Rivers Museum
Source
Pitt Rivers Museum, gau (1991.17.39)
Region
East Asia · Tibet
Wish
For safe travels
Layers
Record Folk Modern
Keep this symbol · from £2.99Read the sources
The story · three layers

The story, in three layers.

Record, Folk and Modern are kept apart, and each one carries its source.

I
Record
Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford

A gau in Oxford

The Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford holds a Tibetan gau (1991.17.39). People of every rank wore such boxes round the neck, believing they kept harm away.

II
Folk
Tibet

What goes inside

Inside a gau go sacred objects and written mantras, the museum notes. Many boxes are silver set with turquoise.

To verify: Confirm the materials on the museum page

III
Modern
Wishlore, today

An empty box

What goes inside a gau is sacred. If we ever make one, it will be an empty box, with nothing sacred in it.

Gau box
Tibetan amulet box, Pitt Rivers Museum
Story and sources on the reverse
Pl. IIThe story card. Every printed piece carries the story and a code that opens the full source list.
Keep it close

How would you like to keep it?

Add to bag · £8
  • No jewellery for this symbol yet; story card and download only
  • Printed cards are made in our partner workshop in China and shipped worldwide
  • Delivery: [UK/EU/US days TBC]; duties shown at checkout
Watch the story

The story, in a minute.

It opens with the pencil construction, then follows the record, how people used it, and the piece we make today. Every fact in it comes from the sources on this page.

Length
0:55
Narration
English, with subtitles on screen
Images
Pencil construction and the atlas drawing on this page, animated; no AI images; jewellery shown as a line drawing
Sources
Listed at the end of the film
Story film · 0:55 · Drawn from the atlas plate · no AI images
In one breath
A box worn at the neck, with sacred things inside. Who would you keep it for?
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