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Start Over Object name Fire mandala and tripod Materials Turquoise (mineral)
Hearst Museum object titled Fire mandala and tripod, accession number 9-22053, described as This is the lower portion of a Kapala (skull cup) ritual set. The triangular portion is the fire mandala (the sphere of the fire element) upon which is the tripod formed from three freshly severed human heads. Upon this tripod would be placed a matching skull cup, formed either from an actual human skull or from a bronze or silver facsimile. This tripod is of the size appropriate to an actual human skull cup. There are several in this collection (see T-46). Upon the skull cup could be placed a fitted lid with a vajra handle (see T-69).

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