Tibet, Nepal
Tibetan and Nepalese

Metal, wood, cloth
Late 20th century
Diameter: 5.75 in, Depth: 3.5 in
Idiophones – Struck Idiophones – Bells

A singing bowl inscribed with Tibetan symbols of the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum.  This bronze mantra singing bowl is a major symbol in Tibetan Buddhism for meditation and relaxation.  The inside is a raised Buddha sitting statute attached to the bottom.  In accordance with an ancient Tibetan formula, the bowl is hand-crafted with Himalayan metal (Sanskrit-panchaloga) by skilled Tibetan artisans using traditional techniques.

Tibetan singing bowls (also known as Himalayan bowls) are an inverted bell, supported from below with the rim uppermost. Such bells are normally bowl-shaped and exist in a wide range of sizes. They are often played by striking, but some known as singing bowls, may also be played by rotating a mallet around the outside rim to produce a sustained musical note.  These singing bowls originated in China from an early form of bell called nao, that were played with the mouth facing upward.