World-in-a-box
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The "world-in-a-box" is the Dead's name[1] for a mysterious red box decorated with inlaid ivory. Seri finds it floating in the River Tarria while she is bathing Vattu on p038.
What's in the box?
When the box is first encountered, its contents are unknown. Although the Dead seem to be aware of what it is, and may even know what it contains, it was probably not theirs to begin with (as the Dead come from "downriver"). It can be surmised, then, that the box must have floated along the River Tarria from the north (the direction of Sahta). Though the box is not locked, it is unclear whether Seri opened it while it was in her possession.
At the conclusion of the upriver-move, on p071, the world-in-a-box is opened. Its contents appear to be chess-like "game" pieces on a board that seems to represent the River Tarria. The pieces are alternatingly red and green. The two tallest pieces do not resemble Fluters; rather, they are canine in appearance.
Cosmology
Since the box was in the white-marked tribe's possession for a long time after its discovery, Priestess eventually developed a cosmological explanation of its significance, which she is seen explaining to Rota and Torano.[2] She draws an analogy between the world of the Fluters, and the world of the figures in the box. Both live in a land divided by a river, and both have a hunter and a priestess. Indeed, the world is divided into two aspects-- the physical aspect of "the hunt" and the spiritual aspect of Ata-- which are represented by red and green respectively. This ties into the way the Fluters view their world, divided by those same opposing forces.
The box also make a dominating appearance at the bottom of the "Possession" print,[3] indicating that it likely will play a large role in Vattu's future and in the plot of Vattu.
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