Bone Mala with a Silver Skull

A striking mala made of hand-carved skull-shaped bone beads, ivory-colored with darkly accented eye sockets and rows of teeth. Three richly chased silver beads with vine and dot motifs punctuate the necklace; it is topped by a three-dimensional silver skull, whose polished surface stands out clearly against the matte bone.

In Tibetan Buddhism, the skull is not a terrifying image, but a symbol of impermanence: As a wreath of skulls, it adorns the crowns of the wrathful deities, and malas made of skull beads have long accompanied the contemplation of impermanence and the practices of Vajrayana—a reminder not to put life off until later.

Below the silver skull, the cord ends in a knotted tassel made of four black strands, each fitted with a small silver tube. The mala is worn wrapped several times around the wrist or draped around the neck.

Made at Atelier Tibet in Zurich. The mala is delivered in a silk brocade pouch, which we select to match the color.

Circumference 91 cm · Silver skulls 20 mm · Bone beads, silver · Comes with a brocade pouch · Made in the Tibet Studio