Mahakala

CHINA, Tibet

Mahakala is in the warrior stance with left leg straightened and right knee bent, brandishing a flaying knife in the right hand and a skull-bowl in the left hand. On the figure’s head is a crown of skulls, while a long garland of human heads sways about the body. A vertical third eye is placed above the other two in the wrathful countenance. Buoyant ribbons flutter from the sides of the crown, below which are large circular ear ornaments. Other jewelry adorns the body, inlaid with turquoise and coral. The only clothing is a pair of shorts.
Details are minutely crafted and well handled in this work, as can be seen in the tiger head motif carved near the bent knee. The same level of attention is found in the fingers, toes, and the etchings on the curve of the knife. A semicircular ring at the back of the neck could be a tenon where a mandorla was fixed. A large opening at the back of the sculpture has been infilled, suggesting its previous use for enshrining treasures.