Tibetan Kapala, Tibet, 18th century

Height x width x depth: 17 x 13.5 x 5 cm. Weight: 248 g.

traditional Tibetan ritual cup, used in the tantric rituals of Vajrayāna Buddhism, particularly in practices associated with symbolic sacrificial offerings. The bowl's outer rim is decorated with a sequence of small skulls, iconographically recalling the cycle of death and rebirth, central themes in esoteric Buddhist doctrine. The inside of the skull is completely lined with metal, for both ritual and conservation reasons. The upper part of the cladding features two concentric decorative bands, finely engraved with motifs that may include stylised floral elements, Tantric symbols or sacred iconography, arranged in an orderly fashion.