[INDOLOGY] flutes made from human thigh bones

[Westin Harris]

Dear Patrick and other Indologists,

The kangling (rkang gling) is a human thigh bone trumpet used most
prominently in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition known as Chö (gcod) meaning
"Severance." If I remember right, Andrea Loseries wrote a book on bone
ritual implements in Tibetan Vajrayana, and Ayesha Fuentes recently wrote
an important dissertation on Himalayan Buddhist ritual implements made from
human bones.

Allow me some time to find the exact citations and I'll send them along to
you shortly.

*Sincerely,*

*Westin Harris*
Ph.D. Candidate
Study of Religion
University of California, Davis
https://religionsgrad.ucdavis.edu/people/westin-harris
<https://religions.ucdavis.edu/people/westin-harris>

2021 Dissertation Fellow,
The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies

Sarva Mangalam.


On Tue, Apr 8, 2025 at 9:42 PM patrick mccartney via INDOLOGY <
indology at list.indology.info> wrote:

> Dear Friends,
>
> Denzil Ibbetson’s (1883, 127) report of the Punjab census mentions the
> necromancy, exorcisms and magico-acrobatic displays performed by Buddhist
> lámas, who also used flutes made from human thigh bones.
>
> I'm wondering if anyone has more information about human bones used as
> musical instruments.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Patrick
>
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