A vintage Tibetan hand made yak bone prayer amal containing 108 beads plus a larger Guru or head bead. The beads are alternately inlaid with bits of truquoise and red coral and wrapped in metal. During prayer, the beads are rotated and counted along as recitations and mantras are chanted, starting with the Guru bead. The mala has been liberally coated in yak butter, which is also burned in the temples and also used as a preservative and lubricant...