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TIBETAN TANTRIC HUMAN BONE ORNAMENT SET (Necromancers Bone Apron) (item No: Apron 01)
(Tibetan: rus rgyan)
Origin: Tibet or Nepal
Age: 40 - 80 years
Price: £3,700 (including postage worldwide) - SOLD
An extremely rare, museum quality, beautifully hand carved, human bone Tantric bone ornament set comprisiong of full apron with cloth backing, two arm bands, two ankle bands, and hat.
The two photos of a ritual Tibetan dancer above show a similar ornament set, except the dancer on the left can clearly be seen to be also wearing a bone chest ornament as well. That is missing from this set which is otherwise all there.
Ornament sets like this come onto the market extremly infrequently, as the exporting of them from Nepal or Tibet is now prohibited. There are now some recently made copies of them on the market made in sweatshops in China, but this one came from a collector of ritual objects in the West together with other human bone ritual objects bought at the time and is therefore a real ritual object - not a copy.
Ornaments sets like this are worn in ceremonies by high ranking tantric lamas, ritual dancers and some tantric shamans.
The set is in good condition and is quite soundly strung. It is a wearable set, and could be put to use in the correct manner.
Although single carved bones from broken sets come on to the market from time to time - generally reaching prices between £500 and £1000 each - it is very rare indeed to find a complete set in such good usable condition.
The set is suitable for use by tantric practioners and Ngakpas etc., or could be displayed. It is probably a once in a life time change to obtain such a set.
Please note no parts of this set will not be split up and sold individually.
The Apron
Width: 740mm (29 inches approx)
Height: 520mm (20.5 inches approx)
Length of long carved bones: 105mm (4.25 inches approx)
The set is suitable for use by tantric practioners and Ngakpas etc., or could be displayed. It is probably a once in This is the main part of the set. It comprises of seven large carved bones, twenty-two smaller square carved bones, two smaller and over 1700 smaler round bone beads. All of these will have been carved by hand. It is strung together with strong black thread. At the bottom of each section is a brass or bronze bell.
The seven large bones are carved with a dorje (vajra) on the outide bones of the apron and dakinis on the five inner bones of the apron.
The apron is tied to a traditional cloth apron, painted with skulls and severed human heads and with a central Mahakala face. This cloth apron is newer than the bone apron and not the original one, although it is the correct sort of cloth apron and does set the bone apron off very well.
Wrist bones
Width: 175mm (6.9 inches approx)
Height: 100mm (4 inches)
Ankle Bones
Width: 320mm (12.5inches approx)
Height: 130mm (5.1 inches approx)
Length of long carved bones: 105mm (4.25 inches approx)
The bone wrist and ankle bones match the main apron. The wrist bones are carved with the image of a dakini, and the ankle bones are carved with who dakinis on the outer bones and a vajra on the one in the cemtre.
The apron is tied to a traditional cloth apron, painted with skulls and severed human heads and with a central Mahakala face. This cloth apron is newer than the bone apron and not the original one, although it is the correct sort of cloth apron and does set the bone apron off very well.
The Hat
Width: 190mm (7.5inches approx)
Height: 190mm (7.5 inches approx)
Inner Circumference: 520mm (20.5 inches approx)
The hat is made of thick black wool felt with gold thread (presumably real gold) embroidery on top. IT is summounted with a disc of carved bone and a carved bone fineal. From this bone disc strung small round bone beads run on five threads to the sides of the hat which then are linked to five large carved bone peices depicting the five Dhyani Buddhas - representing the five Buddha familes and in turn representing the five elements and the five directions of the compass (North, South, East, West and Centre)
The Hat is in perfect condition, and it like the rest of the set is quite wearable if one has the authority and Buddhist empowerments to do so.
The whole set makes a very rare and special item.
