This silver-mounted Tibetan skull cup or kapala is from a collection of personal and ceremonial objects from Tibet, Nepal, Fiji and southern Africa that was assembled over many years of travelling by the donor and her husband.

The kapala was commonly used in Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist rituals as an offering bowl and is associated with complex tantric rituals through which the dedicated practitioner may take a transformative path to enlightenment. In some of these rituals, the deities are summoned to partake of (and thus conquer) the symbolic blood or flesh of demons. When filled with blood the skull cup is known as Ashrakapala and when filled with flesh it is known as Mamsakapala.

Tantric skull cups were typically made from human skulls decorated with silver, brass and sometimes gems. The bone itself was sometimes also ornately carved with Tibetan symbols. This particular example is simply decorated with a chain of silver skulls around the edge. The interior is lined with pewter or tin.

A skull cup (kapala) made from the upper half of a human skull. The dark brown surface of the skull is relatively rough and patinated; the cup is lined with either pewter or tin, and the outer edge is simply decorated with 39 small silver skulls. These vary slightly which indicates they were separately moulded or embossed.

Human bones were regularly used in the production of items associated with the rituals of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism. The bones of high Lamas were sometimes left by them to their monasteries in order for them to be made into efficacious implements for use in special rites. Their skulls were often made into a cup (kapala) or sometimes into a skull drum (damaru). Tantric skull cups were typically made from human skulls decorated with silver, brass and sometimes gems. The bone itself was sometimes also ornately carved with Tibetan symbols.

This simply decorated skull cup from Tibet is from a collection of personal and ceremonial objects from Tibet, Nepal, Fiji and southern Africa that was assembled over many years of travelling by the donor and her husband. The collection also includes an earring and carrying case, dagger, snuff horn, travelling shrine and fur hat from Tibet; wedding necklace and puppet from Nepal; sperm whale tooth neck ornament from Fiji; and two beaded neck ornaments from the Kalahari Bushmen of southern Africa.

The kapala was commonly used in Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist rituals as an offering bowl and is associated with complex tantric rituals through which the dedicated practitioner may take a transformative path to enlightenment. In some of these rituals, the deities are summoned to partake of (and thus conquer) the symbolic blood or flesh of demons. When filled with blood the skull cup is known as Ashrakapala and when filled with flesh it is known as Mamsakapala.

Skull cup (kapala), human bone / silver / [pewter] / [tin], Tibet, maker unknown, 1900s

A skull cup (kapala) made from the upper half of a human skull. The dark brown surface of the skull is a little rough but well patinated. The cup is lined with either pewter or tin, and its outer edge is simply decorated with thirty nine small silver skulls. These vary slightly which indicates that they were individually moulded or embossed.

Made: Tibet; 1900 - 1999

2006/21/4

1900 - 1999

53 mm

125 mm