MONGOLIAN COLLECTABLES

MONGOLIAN COLLECTABLES

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Extremely Rare late 19th Century Mongolian tantric damaru (very large size - 8.15 inches-20.5 cm, Diameter).

Dimensions: Approximately 8.15 inches-20.5 cm, Diameter

Weight: 404g (14 1/2 oz)

Price: SOLD

Shipping Price: To be discussed later with buyer

Item Number:W140

This valuable and completely authentic ritual instrument is a late-19th century Mongolian damaru - complete with attached embroidered silk “flags”, silk tassles, ritual bell, applique animal fur and shaman’s mirror (toli). The wooden body of this drum is decorated with hand-painted symbolic skull patterns which signify that this instrument is meant for ritual practice. The damaru is a two-headed drum shaped like an hourglass and is well known throughout the Himalayas and Mongolia. This type of drum generally symbolizes speech and/or language (as a form of sound) and as such it is a medium for communication beyond the mundane realms and into the supernal (eg summoning dakini).

Damaru of this size and quality possess a palpable vibrational signature – their tone is deep and visceral. In the hands of a skilled practitioner their powerful resonance fill the void – where tempo can be varied from slow steady rhythmic pulsing through to remarkable crescendo. The voice of this drum is of the first water and it is in excellent condition. This ritual instrument identifies a given deity, mainly the Dharmapalas (protectors of the teachings), as being tantric in nature. When carried by a human adept, the doubledrum usually identifies her or him as a Chöd-pa, i.e. a practitioner of Chod (ie a distinctive Mahayana Buddhist practice that comprises a visualization of serving up one's body as an offering to all beings).

Typically made of wood, with leather drum head, damarus height range from a few inches to a little over a foot - at over 8 inches diameter this is a very large example. It is played one handed. The strikers are typically beads fastened to the ends of leathern cords around the waist of the damaru. As the player waves the drum using a twisting finger and wrist motion, the strikers beat on the drumhead. In Tibetan the damaru is sometimes translated as thod rnga, but only if the drum is made from human skull bone; considering that thod means skull. That form of damaru, made from the crowns of two human skulls, always has the strings and beads attached and its usage make it more into a rattle than a drum.

If you would like to see more pictures, please don't hesitate to ask and I will send you a zip file full of them.