Description
A simple but unusual example of these kapalas, this one extremely thin, suggesting many years of use. It has probably been re-lacquered many times. It is cut from the parietal region of the skull.
This antique kapala originally came from the Shan peoples of Burma, who migrated to Burma in approximately the late ninth century. The earliest evidence of shamanistic Bonpo rituals in that area also date to that period. This is an antique kapala that has seen a lot of use as a ritual cup. The inside shows signs of wear, perhaps from mixing herbs with liquid. This skullcap is extraordinarily thin and delicate, and it has been dyed red. Because they are cut from the crown of the skull, this type of kapala is typically 4 to 4 1/2″ in size.
These kapalas are cut from either the frontal or parietal lobes of the skull, this type of kapala is typically 4 to 4 1/2″ in size. Pictures of other Bonpo kapalas are available upon request
Sourced from Burma
19C