Old Nepalese Gabalā Bowl with Skull & gZi Beads

Some ritual bowls feel purely functional; others carry the weight of myth. This old Nepalese gabalā bowl — wrapped in Tibetan silver, mosaic gems, and gZi beads, with a skull motif — feels unmistakably like the latter.

The form is compact and cupped, rising into a rim that feels made to hold both offerings and stories. Tibetan silver covers the surface in richly worked patterns, while mosaic inlays and gZi beads punctuate the metal like constellations. A skull element, integrated into the design, brings in the Tibetan reminder of impermanence — memento mori as a path to clarity rather than fear.

In a home altar or meditation space, this bowl can hold incense, small stones, offerings, or simply air. It carries the visual gravity of a temple object: dense, intricate, and quietly intense. Paired with bronze figures, conches, or kanglings, it becomes part of a small, powerful shrine.

Details

• Title: Old Nepalese Temples Gabalā Bowl – Tibetan Silver Mosaic Gem gZi Beads Skull Amulet
• Size: 16.5 cm high × 12 cm long (6.5 × 4.7 in; width not specified)
• Weight: 0.7 kg (including packing materials)
• Materials: Old Tibetan silver, mosaic gems, gZi beads, skull head motif
• Origin: China (in Tibetan/Nepalese temple style)
• Condition: Vintage piece with patina and age-related marks consistent with use