Carved Wooden Shamanic Tsampa Mold. Tibet, 19th century or before. This piece of beautifully patinated hardwood would have been used to fashion small animal figures from dampened Tsampa or barley grain that was pressed into the carved figures. Once dried and hardened these small animal figures would have been placed ceremoniously into the fire as a sacrifice to the gods for the fertility of the livestock and a general blessing on the participants. The ritual pre-dates Buddhism and is a Bonpo shamanic practice of great antiquity. These pieces are rare and this example is a charming bit of ethnographic folk art from Tibet.