Item: Ritual Object

Carved Bone ornaments as part of a Tantric Buddhist bone ornaments set used in Chakrasamvara rituals.

The figure on the left side is Heruka Chakrasamvara embracing the consort Vajrayogini. Above his head is a small figure of Akshobhya Buddha. Above that is a garuda bird with the arms extended out to the sides. The garuda and additional figures below and on the edge of the carving are intended to be the decorative torana that frames the central figure of Heruka Chakrasamvara.

The two central bone carvings depict attendant retinue figures included in the sixty-two deity mandala of Chakrasamvara. They both have one face and four hands holding in the first pair a curbved knife and skullcup. The second pair holds a double-sided (damaru) drum and a katvanga (tantric staff). They are also shown standing on the left leg with the right raised in a dancing posture. Typical Nepalese artistic scroll work is is carved above and below each figure.

The carving on the right side depicts a offering goddess figure with one face and two hands. She along with other offering goddesses play a role in the Chakrasamvara ritual practices and typically there are eight main and sometimes sixteen offering goddesses in total.

Jeff Watt 4-2015