# Temple ball

> A temple ball is hash worked by hand into a dense ball and cured over time, a traditional Himalayan style associated with a glossy surface and soft interior.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/temple-ball.html
- Also written: temple balls, Nepalese temple ball, temple-ball hash, hash ball
- Glossary category: Processing · Evidence: Established
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

A temple ball is a ball of [hash](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/hash.md), traditionally [charas](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/charas.md) or sieved resin, that has been worked by hand until homogeneous and then stored to age. The traditional association is with Nepal and the wider Himalayan region; the legend of temple use is popular but poorly documented. The outer surface oxidises to a dark, shiny skin, while the inside stays softer and more aromatic.

## In practice

Modern makers produce temple balls from [ice water hash](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/bubble-hash.md) or [dry sift](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/kief.md) to recreate the style, curing them for weeks to months. The working and curing change texture and aroma; as in any long storage, some [THC](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/thc.md) oxidises toward [CBN](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cbn.md), especially at the surface. Temple balls are often prized for aged, complex aromas. GenetixBay defines the style only and doesn't give production methods.

## Don't confuse with

- **Charas**: hand-rubbed resin; a temple ball is a shape and cure that may use charas.
- **Pressed hash**: compressed into slabs or blocks, usually by press rather than by hand.
- **Rosin**: an oil, not a worked resin ball.

## Related terms

[Hashish](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/hashish.md), [Charas](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/charas.md), [Hash](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/hash.md), [Pressed hash](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/pressed-hash.md)

## Read more

- [Landraces of the world: an overview](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/genetics-history/landraces-of-the-world.md)

## Sources

1. Clarke RC. 1998. Hashish! Red Eye Press, Los Angeles (updated edition 2010).