A SILVER OFFERING BOWL WITH SCENES FROM THE TAUNGPYONE LEGENDBURMA (MYANMAR), CIRCA 1880-90 The underside is engraved with the emblem of the Konbaung dynasty, a majestic peacock. 4 in. (10 cm) high; 6 1/8 in. (15.5 cm) diameter; 19 troy oz (580 grams) As Buddhism spread throughout Myanmar, the religion incorporated a preexisting nat (spirit-deity) tradition that continues to thrive today. This offering bowl depicts the Taungpyone legend, which is at the heart of one of Myanmar's most famous nat festivals. The legend centers on the honor and courage of an ordinary weaver girl named Ma Shwe Oo, living in Taungpyone village (near Mandalay), who rebuffs the advances of an evil Pagan prince. Even after the prince is executed for horrendous crimes, he continues to harass the weaver as a malignant spirit apanied by a tiger. Still, Ma Shwe Oo bravely chooses death over surrendering to the prince while she is mauled by the tiger. Several shrines and pagodas are erected to Ma Shwe Oo, and she is the subject of popular songs, plays, and films, in addition to the annual nat festival. Encapsulating the legend's moral thrust, this bowl depicts the virtuous young weaver limp in the ferocious tiger's mouth among its narrative vignettes.