DIA20mm, China

This is an buffalo bone bead for the buddhist rosary, Mala.  The Mala is used for counting the number of times a mantra has been recited.  Bone beads (because of its material departing from the idea of Chinese Buddhism) is not commonly used for the Chinese buddhist rosary.  In Tibetan Buddhism, however, the use the nature bones and horns are a reminder of the impermanence of our bodies and that we are, like everything else just a passing phenomenon.