Thai Buddha Hand Mudra

Long, even fingers and a rough edge at the wrist. The rest is left to imagine.

This Buddha hand mudra is from Thailand, Ayutthaya period (1351 – 1767 CE), in bronze. Hand gestures, or mudras, carry specific teachings in Buddhist images, and the Ayutthaya kingdom produced bronze Buddha figures on a grand scale for its temples. A hand this size suggests a large image. The dark surface is smooth and softly glossy, with lines defining each finger and pale traces in the creases. A banded cuff sits at the wrist, which ends in a rough edge. It rests on a wooden block. Just over ten inches long.

Even on its own, it remains a very calm hand.