Tibet
Tibetan

Bronze
Mid 20th century
Diameter: 2.75 in
Idiophones – Struck Idiophones – Concussion – Cymbals

The tingsha (ting-ting-shags) is a concussion idiophone associated with Tibetan Buddhist religious communities in China (the Autonomous Region of Tibet), India, Nepal, and Bhutan.  These circular cymbals are connected by a leather strip/cord that passes through a hole in the center of the medium-size dome and are knotted on the inside of each dome.  They are less than three inches in diameter, but quite thick.   Buddhist monks use them during prayers to call spirits to offerings and for confession ceremonies.  They hold the connecting leather strip/cord and brush the rims of the two cymbals against one another horizontally to produce the ringing sound. 

This pair of tingsha (ting-ting-shags) are crafted with reliefs of the mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum. This is one of the most well-known mantras in Tibetan Buddhism and is mantra for compassion and benevolence.  There are script characters engraved on its interior walls as well.

Reference: “Ting-ting-shags,” Mireille Helffer, “The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments,” 2nd ed., Vol 5., Lawrence Libin, Editor in Chief. Oxford University Press.