The beads skull beads are hand carved and strung together by hand. Skull prayer beads are a type of Buddhist mala. They originated in Tibet and help users contemplate the meaning of life and death during meditation. Buddhism is represented by many symbols, including lotus flowers, Bodhi trees, Buddha's footprints and the Wheel of the Law. Mala beads carved into these symbolic shapes help devotees concentrate upon their meanings during prayer. Skulls traditionally represented death in Tibet, but Buddhists incorporated Tibetan skull images into malas to represent the impermanence of life and the limits of human knowledge. Skull-shaped mala beads help chanters reflect upon the inevitability of death and the necessity of embracing lives filled with compassion.