The black or red coloured Chamunda is described as wearing a garland of severed heads or skulls (Mundamala).
She is described as having four, eight, ten or twelve arms, holding a Damaru (drum), trishula (trident), sword, a snake, skull-mace (khatvanga), thunderbolt, a severed head and panapatra (drinking vessel, wine cup) or skull-cup (kapala), filled with blood.
Standing on a corpse of a man (shava or preta) or seated on a defeated demon or corpse (pretasana).
Chamunda is depicted adorned by ornaments of bones, skulls, and serpents.
 She also wears a Yajnopavita (a sacred thread worn by mostly Hindu priests) of skulls.
She wears a jata mukuta, that is, headdress formed of piled, matted hair tied with snakes or skull ornaments.
Sometimes, a crescent moon is seen on her head.
Her eye sockets  are described as burning the world with flames.
She is accompanied by evil spirits.
She is also shown to be surrounded by skeletons or ghosts and beasts like jackals, who are shown eating the flesh of the corpse which the goddess sits or stands on.
The jackals and her fearsome companions are sometimes depicted as drinking blood from the skull-cup or blood dripping from the severed head, implying that Chamunda drinks the blood of the defeated enemies.
This quality of drinking blood is a usual characteristic of all Matrikas, and Chamunda in particular.
At times, she is depicted seated on an owl, her vahana (mount or vehicle).
Her banner figures an eagle.

These characteristics, a contrast to usual Hindu goddess depiction with full breasts and a beautiful face, are symbols of old age, death, decay and destruction.
Chamunda is often said as a form of Kali, representing old age and death.
She appears as a frightening old woman,  projecting fear and horror.
The black or red coloured Chamunda is described as wearing a garland of severed heads or skulls (Mundamala). She is described as having four, eight, ten or twelve arms, holding a Damaru (drum), trishula (trident), sword, a snake, skull-mace (khatvanga), thunderbolt, a severed head and panapatra (drinking vessel, wine cup) or skull-cup (kapala), filled with blood. Standing on a corpse of a man (shava or preta) or seated on a defeated demon or corpse (pretasana). Chamunda is depicted adorned by ornaments of bones, skulls, and serpents.  She also wears a Yajnopavita (a sacred thread worn by mostly Hindu priests) of skulls. She wears a jata mukuta, that is, headdress formed of piled, matted hair tied with snakes or skull ornaments. Sometimes, a crescent moon is seen on her head. Her eye sockets  are described as burning the world with flames. She is accompanied by evil spirits. She is also shown to be surrounded by skeletons or ghosts and beasts like jackals, who are shown eating the flesh of the corpse which the goddess sits or stands on. The jackals and her fearsome companions are sometimes depicted as drinking blood from the skull-cup or blood dripping from the severed head, implying that Chamunda drinks the blood of the defeated enemies. This quality of drinking blood is a usual characteristic of all Matrikas, and Chamunda in particular. At times, she is depicted seated on an owl, her vahana (mount or vehicle). Her banner figures an eagle.
These characteristics, a contrast to usual Hindu goddess depiction with full breasts and a beautiful face, are symbols of old age, death, decay and destruction. Chamunda is often said as a form of Kali, representing old age and death. She appears as a frightening old woman,  projecting fear and horror.
Chamunda