Japa mala 2

More skull beads made out of bone. These are larger than the previous Jama mala, and may not even be prayer beads. These are all about 1 inch around, whereas the pervious mala were all about the size of an almond. This set (assuming they were made together) was almost certainly made somewhere in Asia for the tourist/export industry, and I frequently see them in little hippy/import/antique stores all over - or at least on the East Coast. Still, they are skulls, and make a nice addition to pirate/voodoo regalia.

Japa mala 1

This is a string of "Japa mala", or prayer beads, and begins what I am calling "skull week". They are used in many cultures to count repetitive prayers, mantra, or aphorisms. I got these not for any religious reason, but because each bead is a tiny little skull carved out of bone (probably yak, hopefully not "long pig"). These may have been made for the tourist/export trade somewhere in Asia, or they may be authentic. Regardless, they look cool hanging in the arsenal, or whenever the wardrobe needs a touch of that pirate/voodoo feel...and that's nearly always!