A beautifully carved wooden Tsampa bowl made of lacquered wood from Ladakh. Tsampa boxes are closely related to the tea bowls used in Mongolia and Tibet in terms of their form and the materials used in their construction. This beautifully handcrafted wooden object possesses a stately form, a gorgeous layered patina and a practical as well as a ceremonial function in traditional life. They were used to hold and serve 'Tsampa', a ubiquitous Himalayan staple food made from ground parched barley grain mixed with salted yak buttered tea.