Shamanic and Buddhist Ritual Objects on 3Worlds

Click on any photo to see a larger photo

HUMAN SKULL OFFERING BOWL (item No: Kapala 01)

Price: £3450 (including postage worldwide)

(Sanskrit: kapala, Tibetan: thod-pa or thod-phor)
Origin: Tibet or Nepal
Age: 40 -150 years
Height: 237mm (9.4 inches) approx
Length of each side of the base: 155mm (6.2 inches) approx
Length of skull: 185mm (7.3 inches) approx

A wonderful old human skull kapala with a solid silver with copper-gold alloy (I believe - it is to gold coloured for copper and too copper coloured for gold) cover and stand. The skull is in good conditon and is lined with silver. It has a ring of silver skulls around the lip.

I was very fortunate to find the kapala in a British antique shop - I have no idea of its history before it came to me.

This is a real, used kapala set, not one of the modern day copies one seens for sale sometimes. Its workmanship is of the very highest quality and it really is the most splendid object with grace and presence.

Kapal are used in tantric ceremonies in both Buddhist and Hindu traditions, and in some Himalayan shamanic traditions also. They are used in ceremonies to symbolically transform base offerings to nectar - the food of the gods. They are also used to hold dough offering cakes (torma) representing human flesh, and (or) wine, which represents human blood. These are symbolic offering to wrathful beings such as Mahakala. The dough cakes are often shaped and painted to resemble human eyes, ears and tongues, and can at times contain human blood or corpse fat or posion, but generally are just made from plain barley flour dough.

Kapala are often shown in the hands of wrathful beings and female beings called dakini - often filled with foaming and frothing blood. They represent the female atribute found in tantric teachings, as does the tibetan bell - and like the bell they are held in the left hand.

They are 'married' with the 'male' flaying knife (Sanskrit: kartrika, Tibetan: trigu), in the same way as the 'female' bell is matched with the 'male' dorje.

This is a most exceptional, museum quality, full kapala set, a very rare object to make offerings with on your altar.

HUMAN SKULL OFFERING BOWL (item No: Kapala 02)

Price: £295 (including postage worldwide)

(Sanskrit: kapala, Tibetan: thod-pa or thod-phor)
Origin: Tibet or Nepal
Age: 40 -150 years
Length: 152mm (6.0 inches) approx
Width: 127mm (5.0 inches) approx

A ritual offering bowl made from the top of a human skull. The skull is undecorated.

They are also used to hold dough offering cakes (torma) representing human flesh, and (or) wine, which represents human blood. These are symbolic offering to wrathful beings such as Mahakala. The dough cakes are often shaped and painted to resemble human eyes, ears and tongues, and can at times contain human blood or corpse fat or posion, but generally are just made from plain barley flour dough.

They are 'married' with the 'male' flaying knife (Sanskrit: kartrika, Tibetan: trigu), in the same way as the 'female' bell is matched with the 'male' dorje.

A rare object to make offerings with on your altar, it would perhaps be disrespectful to use it for display unless in a museum or educational setting.

MONGOLIAN SHAMANIC AND BUDDHIST OFFERING SCARF (Item No. Khadag 01)

Price: £9.50 (including postage Worldwide)

Origin: Mongolia
Age: New
Length: 1400mm (55 inches approx)

Traditional Mongolian khadag or hadag sky blue offering scarf. Made of a silky material and decorated with ausptious symbols.

These are real ones from Mongolia, they are tied onto sacred places in nature, ritual objects and shaman's costumes.

Limited numbers available

ALMOST ALL GONE - I AM TRYING TO GET SOME MORE

MONGOLIAN SHAMAN'S MINAA RITUAL WHIP (Item No. Shamans Whip 01)

Price: £95 (including postage worldwide)

(Mongolian: Minaa)
Origin: Mongolia
Age: 10 - 25 years approx
Length of whip: 600mm (23.7 inches) approx

This is a recently made, but used and real Mongolian shaman's ritual minaa horse tail whip.

Minaa are used by shamans to whip away blockages in energy; sick people and animals will be struck with them to drive out sickness or blocked energy. The late Mongolian/American shaman Sarangerel described them as 'offensive weapons against negative energy and harmfull spirits.'

Mongolian shaman's ritual objects very rarely become available.

MONGOLIAN SHAMAN'S TASHUUR RITUAL WHIP (Item No. Shamans Whip 02)

Price: £105 (including postage worldwide)

(Mongolian: Tashuur)
Origin: Mongolia
Age: 10 - 25 years approx
Length of spade: 635mm (25 inches) approx

This is a recently made, but used and real Mongolian shaman's ritual tashuur whip.

Tashuur are based on riding crops and are used by shamans in a similar way as a minaa to whip away blockages in energy; sick people and animals will be struck with them to drive out sickness or blocked energy. The late Mongolian/American shaman Sarangerel described them as 'offensive weapons against negative energy and harmfull spirits.'

This tashuur is made from a length of wood to which a blue and a black khadag (offering scarf) and strips of leather have been attached.

Mongolian shaman's ritual objects very rarely become available.

MONGOLIAN SHAMAN'S MINIATURE TOOL SET (Item No. Shamans Metal Objects 01)

Price: £135 (including postage worldwide)

Origin: Mongolia
Age: 10 - 50 years approx
Length of spade: 70mm (2.7 inches) approx

A very beautifully hand made set of steel shamans tools. Sets like this are tied onto blessings wands (bardag) and also tied to shaman's coats and other objects. This is a very rare and special set of tools.

MONGOLIAN SHEEPS KNUCKLE BONE DIVINATION SET (Item No. Divination Bones 01)

Price: £28 (including postage worldwide)

(Mongolian: shagai)
Origin: Mongolia
Age: 10 - 30 years approx
Length of bones: 28mm (1.3 inches) approx

This is a set of four Mongolian divinations bones made from the knuckle bones of sheep. They are used by Mongolian shamans, and are also used to play popular games and for fortune telling by the general population.

A good description of how to use them for shamanic work can be found in the book 'Riding Windhorses' by the late Mongolian/American shaman Sarangerel.

They are used, old bones, but have been put into a new silk bag to keep them safe. They make a beautiful set and you can easily add them to your shamanic practice if you wish by reading Sarangerel's book.

I have managed to obtain four sets of four knuckle bones. In stock - four sets - each in a new bag.

OLD VAJRA HANDLED RITUAL FLAYING KNIFE (Tib: trigu - Sanskrit kartika) (Item No. Knife 01)

Price: £445 (including postage worldwide)

Origin: Tibet
Age: 30 - 100 years approx
Height: 162mm (6.5 inches) approx
Width: 155mm (6.2 inches) approx

An exceptionally fine example of a ritual Tibetan Buddhist flaying knife. Made with an iron blade set into a copper rich, purple bronze handle decorated with areas of pure gold. An object like this would be used by high ranking lamas and it is made with beautiful craftsmanship.

Because it is a ritual knife it has no real edge. It is beautifully made in brass with an inset iron blade with very crisp casting areas of which have been coated in pure gold.

The handle is a rare nine pronged vajra rather than the normal five prongeed, and this is set into a mara (mythical sea monster) from whose mouth the blade emerges.

The flaying knife is the active (male) symbol of the female Dakini spirits, the hold them in their right (male - active) hand with a human skull kapala in their left (female - passive) hand. It is therefore part of the symbol of the empowered female, and used in mediation and ceremony.

It is in perfect condition and is difficult to date because of this, it maybe older than it looks, as objects of this quality are kept with great care because they are precious. It would make a beautiful object for ritual use, placing on an altar or for display, as ritual objects of this quality are very rare.

ANTIQUE COPPER BHUMPA SACRED WATER POT (Item No. Bhumpa 01)

Price: £158 (including postage worldwide)

Origin: Tibet
Age: 50 - 100 years approx
Height: 183mm (7.3 inches) approx

Tibetan Buddhist sacred water container with cloth skirt (of more recent construction than the bhumpa) and faux jewel decoration.

Bhumpas are important object on a Buddhist altar, used to hold water used for daily offerings. They are also used to bless people, places and objects too by flicking small amounts of water (often by means of a peacock feather) on them. Water once put ina bhumpa is concidered to change from water into amrita, the elixir of immortality.

The bhumpa has had a few 'dings' in it's life, but basically is in good condition and holds water with no leakage. Peacock feathers not included.

WOODEN SHAMAN'S PHURBA - SHAMANS DAGGER (Item No. phurba 01)

Price: £54 (including postage worldwide)

Origin: Nepal
Age: 30 - 70 years approx
Length: 180mm (7.1 inches) approx

Phurbas are used by Buddhist lamas and shamans throughout Nepal and Tibet for healing, protection against harm, and the killing of demons - both internal and external. They are very powerful and unique ritual items, and wooden ones like this are kept by Nepalese shamans on their altars to represent the three worlds and the world tree that connects them together.

This is an old, well carved wooden Nepalese shaman's phurba. It is in good condition suitable for ritual use.

For more information about phurbas read the article about them on the articles page of this website.

BRASS LAMA'S OR SHAMAN'S PHURBA - SHAMANS DAGGER (Item No. phurba 02)

Price: £52 (including postage worldwide)

Origin: Nepal or Tibet
Age: 40 - 90 years approx
Length: 160mm (6.3 inches) approx

Nice, old small brass Tibetan Buddhist ritual phurba.

The Phurba is well cast but quite small, although it large enough to work with and comfortable to hold.

The blade comes out of the mouth of a makara sea monster, but there are no snkaes (nagas) on the blade.

An attractive little phurba with nice age patina and a perfect addition to a small altar of set of shamanic or Buddhist ritual objects.

For more information about phurbas read the article about them on the articles page of this website.

BRASS LAMA'S OR SHAMAN'S PHURBA - SHAMANS DAGGER (Item No. phurba 03)

Price: £58 (including postage worldwide)

Origin: Nepal or Tibet
Age: 40 - 90 years approx
Length: 186mm (7.3 inches) approx

Nice, old small brass Tibetan Buddhist ritual phurba.

The Phurba is well cast but quite small, although it large enough to work with and comfortable to hold.

The blade comes out of the mouth of a makara sea monster, but there are no snkaes (nagas) on the blade. The top of the handle ends in a 9 prong dorje.

An attractive little phurba with nice age patina and a perfect addition to a small altar of set of shamanic or Buddhist ritual objects.

For more information about phurbas read the article about them on the articles page of this website.

BRASS LAMA'S OR SHAMAN'S PHURBA - SHAMANS DAGGER (Item No. phurba 04)

Price: £70 (including postage worldwide)

Origin: Nepal or Tibet
Age: 40 - 90 years approx
Length: 153mm (6.1 inches) approx

Nice, old small brass Tibetan Buddhist ritual phurba.

The Phurba is well cast but quite small, although it large enough to work with and comfortable to hold.

The blade comes out of the mouth of a makara sea monster, but there are no snkaes (nagas) on the blade. The top of the handle ends in a head of Dorje Phurba, the spirit of the dorje. Above the blade is a dorje and above that are two axe blades.

A very attractive little phurba with nice age patina and a perfect addition to a small altar of set of shamanic or Buddhist ritual objects.

For more information about phurbas read the article about them on the articles page of this website.

BRASS LAMA'S OR SHAMAN'S PHURBA - SHAMANS DAGGER (Item No. phurba 05)

Price: £42 (including postage worldwide)

Origin: Nepal or Tibet
Age: 30 - 70 years approx
Length: 122mm (4.9 inches) approx

Nice, old small brass Tibetan Buddhist ritual phurba.

The Phurba is well cast but quite small, although it large enough to work wit and comfortable to hold.

There is an animal coming out of the top of the head of dorje phurba the spirit of the phurba at the top of the handle although it is hard to say for certain what this is supposed to be. It looks like a little cat or could be an owl - both of which would be unusual. It does not appear to be a horse.

An attractive little phurba with nice age patina and a perfect addition to a small altar of set of shamanic or Buddhist ritual objects.

For more information about phurbas read the article about them on the articles page of this website.

RITUAL CONCH SHELL TRUMPET AND OFFERING (Item No. Conch Trumpet 01)

Price: £45 (including postage worldwide)

Origin: Nepal or Tibet
Age: 30 - 100 years approx
Length: 95mm (3.6 inches) approx

Small ritual conch shell trumpet in good condition. Shells like this are placed on altars to represent the offering of music. Despite being small the trumpet has a good sound.

The conch is in good condition, although dirty.