Thighbone Trumpet Decorated with Silver, Qing Dynasty ritual implement, overall 25cm, mouth diameter: 8cm

Usually thighbones, taken from women who die in dystocia, are donated to monasteries by the relatives of the dead. Buddhist believers think that a woman dies in dystocia because she has done sinful deeds in her previous generation. If her thighbones are offered to make ritual trumpets, it will clear away the sins committed in her previous generation and help her with a good rebirth in her next life. The sounds that these trumpts send out warn people to do good deeds instead of evil ones.