Trumpet Horn Item Number: Ee4.46 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Ritual trumpet known as kangling (རྐང་གླིང་།). One end is a large darkened thigh bone, dark brown with two holes bored through one end. The other end is capped with a metal cap with a small hole in its centre. Half of the thigh bone towards the metal-capped end is wound in gold-coloured metal wire; running from this wire towards the other end are four decorative bands of metal with raised designs that, excepting the central band, are each set with three red and blue stones or minerals.
History Of Use
Kangling (རྐང་གླིང་།) is a ritual implement used in Tibetan Buddhism.
Cultural Context
Human remains in museum collections present a complex, ethical challenge. Objects made from human remains are often removed from their cultural context and have been misidentified or misunderstood, frequently without recognizing the significance they hold in cultures that use human bones for ritual and ceremonial purposes. Ritual objects made both from human and animal bones are a distinctive feature of Tibetan tantric Buddhism. To Tibetans, human bones serve as a reminder of life’s brevity and the inevitability of death. Bones have additional symbolic dimensions. Tibetans view skulls as natural containers that, unshaped by human hands, represent the inherent goodness that reflects the natural state of the mind. Tibetan Buddhists often donated their skulls and bones to monasteries in order to gain spiritual merit after their death.
Item History
- Made in Asia
- Owned by Tradewind Antiques before June 21, 1982
- Received from Museum of Anthropology Shop Volunteers (Funding source) and Tradewind Antiques (Seller) on June 21, 1982
What
- Name
- Trumpet Horn
- Identification Number
- Ee4.46
- Type of Item
- horn
- Material
- human bone, metal, mineral ? and goat skin
- Overall
- height 5.5 cm, width 31.5 cm, depth 7.5 cm
Who
- Culture
- Himalayas
- Previous Owner
- Tradewind Antiques
- Received from
- Museum of Anthropology Shop Volunteers (Funding source) and Tradewind Antiques (Seller)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Asia
When
- Ownership Date
- before June 21, 1982
- Acquisition Date
- on June 21, 1982
Other
- Condition
- good
- Current Location
- Case 81
- Accession Number
- 0808/0002