Magic Horn

Brass sorcerer's magical horn (Tibetan: thun-rwa). Heavy and in the form of a makara's head. Horns like these, usually filled with mustard seeds or other magical substances, were used by shamans and ngagpas during rituals. The hole in the mouth of the horn allows for the seeds be shaken free into a fire while the practitioner recites prayers. The horn is decorated with various Buddhist symbols including a dorje, a stupa, and Rubal, a tortoise who is the emanation of the bodhisattva of knowledge, Manjusri. His belly contains a magic square, the eight trigrams (bagua), and mantras in the form of Tibetan characters are lotus petals.