Bone Buddhist Prayer Beads

Buddhist prayer beads or malas are used to concentrate the mind by counting the number of times a mantra is recited or a practice performed. Prayer beads differ in nature based on different Buddhist practices. The Buddhist prayer beads found in a lacquer box in the tomb of Prince Zhuang and restored to form eight sets of beads. The prayer beads are made of gold-inlay wood, crystal, bone, and other materials.

This string of prayer beads is made from bone, with one golden "Buddha Head" the size of two beads and 27 bone beads. The bone beads are a brown color and porous. A few of the beads retain their original cinnabar surface and small gold wheels separate each bead.