Skulls in the Charnel House, Chapel of St. Michael Church, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hallstatt, Salzkammergut, Austria, Europe

Skulls in the Charnel House, Chapel of St. Michael Church, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hallstatt, Salzkammergut, Austria, Europe

Aitre Saint Maclou, a 16th century charnel house, typical of the half timbered houses in the city of Rouen, Haute Normandie, France, Europe

Nepal. Sonam & boom praying at charnel grounds. Humla. Vajrayana is tantric mahasiddha, lives fearlessly in terrifying places like remote jungles charnel grounds. nyingma lamas perform ritual at cremation grounds. lama rattles damaru, a small ritual drum to have origins in - shamanism. damaru, used as a tantric device to summon gods ward evil spirits, once made from human skull bones dried human skin as a reminder of impermanence of body. other lama, boom blows a kangling, a human thigh-bone horn. kangling is used in exorcism is capable of gods demons. Traditionally, best bones a kangling come from brahmans, particularly sixteen-year- brahman girls-or from tigers

Vultures, drigung. bodies what we most attached to, says of monks. Thats offering ones body carries greatest merit. believe that should benefit other beings at every stage of ones life. After completion of powa ceremony, corpse is traditionally offered to great vultures lammergeiers that frequent charnel grounds. Vultures descend on flayed corpse. Offering bodies to birds is same as reciting mantras. It brings merit benefit to dead person as well as to family friends bring here. While cutting up corpse i to keep a pure compassionate mind. would feel if someone felt cutting up your body. -tomdenla. Tibet

Skull skulls paint ossuary charnel house Hallstatt, Salzkammergut, upper Austria, Austria

Skull skulls paint ossuary charnel house Hallstatt, Salzkammergut, upper Austria, Austria

Skull skulls paint ossuary charnel house Hallstatt, Salzkammergut, upper Austria, Austria

Charnel house at the historic under church, Benedictine convent Altenburg near Horn, Lower Austria

Ossuary or charnel house, St. Michael's Church, Schwaebisch Hall, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany

Visitors in the charnel, bones chapel Capela dos Ossos in the Franciscan monastery, Evora, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Alentejo, Portugal, Europe

Ossuary, skulls and bones of the explosion victims, Arkadi Monastery, Moni Arkadi, National Monument, Crete, Greece, Europe

Painted skulls in the ossuary of Hallstatt, Salzkammergut, Upper Austria, Austria

Painted skulls in the ossuary of Hallstatt, Salzkammergut, Upper Austria, Austria

Painted skulls in the ossuary of Hallstatt, Salzkammergut, Upper Austria, Austria

Painted skulls in the ossuary of Hallstatt, Salzkammergut, Upper Austria, Austria

Skulls in the ossuary, Karner St. Michaelskapelle St. Michael Cchapel, Hallstatt, Salzkammergut region, Upper Austria, Austria, Europe

Skulls in the ossuary, Karner St. Michaelskapelle St. Michael Cchapel, Hallstatt, Salzkammergut region, Upper Austria, Austria, Europe

Martyrs' skulls and bones, ossuary, former windmill, Arkadi Monastery, Moni Arkadi, National Monument, Crete, Greece, Europe

Part of the church and castle complex showing the cemetery and parish church in Neuhaus, Triestingtal (Triesting Valley), Lower Austria, Austria, Europe

Cupola with gotic frescos in the charnel house in Hartberg Styria Austria

Exterior, Doppelkarner Ossuary, Pottenstein, Triestingtal (Triesting Valley), Lower Austria, Austria, Europe

Exterior, Doppelkarner Ossuary (front) and Church in Pottenstein, Triestingtal (Triesting Valley), Lower Austria, Austria, Europe