Sutra boxes were used to safeguard Buddhist manuscripts (sutras) as sacred objects when they are not being read by monks, viewed by visiting dignitaries, or serving as objects of ritual veneration. These ornate storage containers are often embellished with figural and geometric decoration, such as this example that depicts guardian deities and celestial worshippers amidst foliage with elaborate borders. Alternatively, they can be purely ornamental and devoid of figural decoration, such as M.86.188a-c.
