This bowl looks almost like a cooking pot but it is actually a type of bell called a singing bowl. It is handmade from brass, which is shaped by beating the sheet metal over a mould. You can see that the outer surface is mottled little circular dents of the hammer. The brass is coated with a translucent black lacquer.

Bells are usually played by striking the surface with a beater or clapper. A singing bowl is usually played by rubbing the beater around the rim of the bowl (either inside or outside) to produce a continuous ringing sound, a bit like rubbing the rim of a wine glass with your finger. The beater you can see here is made from turned wood with a sheath of white leather. The base of the bowl can rest on the floor or be held in the palm of the hand to alter the sound. 

Singing bowls (also known as Tibetan Singing Bowls, rin gongs, medicine bowls, Tibetan bowls or suzu gongs in Japan) have been used throughout Asia for centuries. The best known types are from the Himalayan region and are called Himalayan singing bowls. They are used in Buddhist mediation and other spiritual practice to aid relaxation and focus concentration.