Skip to main content
Advanced Search
Drinking Bowl (Kapala), 17th to 19th Century Tibet Autonomous Region Bone and silver; 2 1/2 ×…
Bowl (Kapala)
Drinking Bowl (Kapala), 17th to 19th Century Tibet Autonomous Region Bone and silver; 2 1/2 ×…
Drinking Bowl (Kapala), 17th to 19th Century Tibet Autonomous Region Bone and silver; 2 1/2 × 6 7/8 × 5 3/8 in. 97.138.68 Anonymous Gift

Bowl (Kapala)

ClassificationsFurnishings-Serviceware-bowls
Date17th to 19th Century
Made AtTibet Autonomous Region, China, Asia
MediumBone and silver
Dimensions2 1/2 × 6 7/8 × 5 3/8 in. (6.4 × 17.5 × 13.7 cm)
Credit LineAnonymous Gift
Object number97.138.68
DescriptionIn Tibetan Buddhism, skull cups or kapala made from the upper part of the human cranium, are ritualistic and highly regarded objects. Placed on altars, they function as vessels to hold offerings of blood or wine to deities of a wrathful nature. The cups have the capability to transform elements associated with the ordinary body and mind into the body and mind of an enlightened being, assisting the devoted in the quest for transcendental thought and being. This example is decorated with silver skull designs around its rim.
On View
Not on view
Teapot, 19th to 20th Century Tibetan culture; Tibet Autonomous Region, China Human bone, meta…
Teapot
Tibetan
19th to 20th Century
Kava Cup (Bilo Ni Yaqona), 20th Century Fiji, Melanesia Coconut Shell; 2 3/4 × 3 3/4 × 4 in. …
Kava Cup (Bilo Ni Yaqona)
20th Century
Kava Cup (Bilo Ni Yaqona), 20th Century Fiji, Melanesia Coconut Shell; 2 1/2 × 4 1/8 × 4 1/8 …
Kava Cup (Bilo Ni Yaqona)
20th Century
Kava Cup (Bilo Ni Yaqona), 20th Century Fiji, Melanesia Coconut Shell; 1 3/4 × 4 1/2 × 4 5/8 …
Kava Cup (Bilo Ni Yaqona)
20th Century
Kava Cup (Bilo Ni Yaqona), 20th Century Fiji, Melanesia Coconut Shell; 3 × 4 7/8 × 4 5/8 in. …
Kava Cup (Bilo Ni Yaqona)
20th Century
Kava Cup (Bilo Ni Yaqona), 20th Century Fiji, Melanesia Coconut Shell; 2 3/4 × 4 7/8 × 4 3/4 …
Kava Cup (Bilo Ni Yaqona)
20th Century
Kava Cup (Bilo Ni Yaqona), 20th Century Fiji, Melanesia Coconut Shell; 3 × 5 × 4 3/4 in. 201…
Kava Cup (Bilo Ni Yaqona)
20th Century
Palm Wine Drinking Cup, 20th Century Lele people; Democratic Republic of the Congo Wood; 5 3…
Cup for Palm Wine
Lele
20th Century
Cup, 20th Century Paiwan culture; Pingtung or Taitung County, Taiwan Wood and pigments; 2 × 1…
Wine Cup
Paiwan
20th Century
Cup, 20th Century Paiwan culture; Pingtung or Taitung County, Taiwan Wood and pigments; 2 5/8…
Wine Cup
Paiwan
20th Century
Chief’s Drinking Cup (Etyet), early 20th Century Tlingit culture; Northwest Coast Region, Nort…
Chief’s Drinking Cup (Athle Yet)
Tlingit
early 20th Century
Shrine Statue, 19th Century Miao or Yao culture; China Wood; 15 1/2 × 4 3/8 × 4 3/4 in. 2020…
Shrine Statue
Miao
19th Century
eMuseum
Copyright © eMuseum