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1. Ancient Chung Dzi, Coral and Agate Necklace. Tibet. 27 richly colored natural antique two-colored agate beads, one with an etched stripe in the middle. Two round, light colored coral beads and one well worn chung dzi measuring 7/8" (12 mm.) On string with a silver s-hook clasp. 18" (45 cm) long. SOLD. |
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2. Four Striped Chung Dzi. Tibet, 1000 BC to 1000 AD. A lovely chung dzi with a beautiful dark color and four contrasting stripes. One end has been chipped off, otherwise excellent condition. 7/8" (22 mm.) SOLD. |
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3. Lhasa Beads. Tibet. This is a collection of miscellaneous antique beads that we bought from a lady wearing them in the Barkor in Lhasa. The center bead is a beautiful, ancient natural banded agate; there is a brick carnelian pema raka bead, a fantastic ancient weathered round dzi, black agates, translucent pale agates and a handmade turquoise glass bead. The last bead seems to be bone or shell. All are ancient -- a beautiful set. Longest bead is 1 1/4" (3cm.) All beads together are 8" (20 cm.) SOLD. |
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4. Strand of Small Chung Dzi Disks. Tibet, 1000 BC to 1000 AD. 80 small black and white chung dzi disk beads strung on a silk cord. 8 1/2" (21 cm.)long, diameters vary between 3 mm. and 10 mm, thickness range between 2 mm. and 5 mm. SOLD. |
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5. Ancient Cone Bead with Eyes. Indus Valley, 1000 BC to 500 AD. I bought this in Tibet but the shape and pattern are like Indus Valley beads. Natural greyish stone with etched darker lines. Diameter is 16 mm, 12 mm. high. $145. |
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6. Ancient Natural One Eyed Dzi. Tibet. A rare ancient bead of two-toned agate with a multi-layered eye. Excellent condition, no chips or cracks. Diameter, 18 mm. $175. |
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7. Antique Pema Raka Carnelian Bead. Tibet, about 300 years old. 1" (23 mm.) long. A beautiful large bead that I bought in the Barkhor 10 years ago. In Tibet Pema raka (red lotus in Sanskrit) beads are said to guard against evil spirits and absorb illnesses. SOLD. |
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8. Etched Carnelian with Eight Eyes. Indus Valley, 1000 BC to 500 AD. A beautiful little eight eyed bead. No cracks or chips despite its age. 10 mm. long. SOLD. |
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9. Antique Pema Raka with Eye. Tibet, over 300 years old. 21 mm. long. This is a beautiful, very old bead, deep orange in color, translucent in places, with natural stripes and a long natural eye. Bought in the Barkhor in 1997. $145. |
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10. Nine Etched Carnelian Beads. Indus Valley, 1000 BC to 500 AD. A gorgeous group of ancient etched carnelian beads. Beautiful deep color, finely etched designs. Longest bead is 18 mm., smallest is 14 mm. SOLD. |
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11. Etched Carnelian Disk Bead. Indus Valley, 1000 BC to 500 AD. The color in the bead varies from pale to dark with design of etched lines. 12mm. in diameter, the bead is 3mm. thick. $65. |
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12. Striped Agate Chung Dzi. Tibet, 1000 BC to 1000 AD. Beautiful natural banded agate bead with many very distinct stripes. Excellent contition with no cracks or chips. Length, 25 mm. SOLD. |
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13. Six Ancient Striped Carnelian Beads. Indus Valley, 1000 BC to 500 AD. With some weathering but overall in very good condition. 11 mm. to 14 mm. long. SOLD. |
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14. Ancient Banded Agate Bead. Tibet, 300 to 500 AD. 1 3/8" (36 mm.) SOLD.$75. |
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15. Chung Dzi Necklace. Tibet. Mostly small chung dzi beads and some banded agate. The 11 center beads are very nice chung dzi in various colors and the center bead itself is very curious. 15" (38 cm.) long. The longest bead is 21 mm, the center bead is 15 mm, and the two black chung dzi on either side of the center are 12 mm. Note that three of the beads towards the back are only half beads, the other part broken off. Strung with small gold-toned metal beads. SOLD. |
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16. Ancient Vietnamese Glass Beads. Made in China, collected in Vietnam. A strand of pale, translucent glass beads probably made in 14th century in China. They were sold to me as 14th century and they match the pictures and fit the description of 14th century Chinese beads found in Asia's Maritime Bead Trade from ca. 300 BC to the Present by Peter Francis, Jr. but I don't really know how to date them myself. The smallest bead is 3 mm. and the largest about 10 mm; there are 90 beads and the strand measures 28" (71 cm.) They are a lovely color. SOLD. |
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17. Round One Stripe Chung Dzi. Tibet, 1000 BC to 1000 AD. A rare one stripe round chung dzi, ideal for stringing on a mala. Diameter, approx. 13mm. SOLD. |
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18. Striped Etched Carnelian. Indus Valley, 1000 BC to 500 AD. Beautiful carnelian bead with deep color and etched stripes. 18 mm. long. SOLD. |
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19. Ancient Persepolis Beads. Iran, ca. 1500 BC. A strand of mostly faience, some glass beads from the ancient city of Persepolis. A nice selection of shapes and colors made into a necklace with a pretty bee clasp. Length of necklace: 20" (51 cm.) $250. |
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20. Ancient Chung Dzi. Tibet, 1000 BCE to 1000 CE. A single strip chung dzi with beautiful color, dark on white. 24mm. long. SOLD. |
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21. Part of an Ancient Large Chung Dzi. Tibet, ca. 1000 BCE to 1000 CE. This is half a bead that would have originally been more than 7 cm. long. It has been worn for many years as a dzi in its own right and the place where it is broken is worn smooth. There is a distinct crystalline eye on one side; this would be a striking center bead for a necklace. 35 mm. $300. |
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22. Strand of Ancient Etched Carnelian and Dzi Beads. Tibet and Central Asia, 300 B.C. to 200 A.D. Etched carnelian and agate Bactrian beads, chung dzi beads and some banded agate. These beads were collected all along the Silk Road and thought to be supernatural in Tibet. 78 beads, newly strung: the strand is 27 1/2" (70 cm.) long. The beads range from 1/4" (5 mm.) to 3/4" (20 mm). Some of the carnelian shows some corrosian as a result of age and, sometimes, extended burial. SOLD. |
Tibetan Dzi Beads are thought to bring good luck and protect the wearer from harm. Legend says that they are supernatural, dropped from the heavens, that they are the dung of the Garuda bird, or that they were once creatures that crawled in the ground. They can be crushed for use in Tibetan medicines, they decorate Tibet's most precious statues, and they are passed through families for generations. The earliest date from around 2000 BC.
Etched Carnelian Beads were first made in the ancient Hrappan civilization in the Indus Valley around 2600 BC. They are therefore the oldest of the "etched" family of beads, predating the Tibetan Dzi. 
We also have ancient natural banded agate beads, Tibetan amber and other interesting beads that we have bought in the marketplace in Lhasa over the years. Any of these beads could anchor a necklace or be attached to a mala. May they bring you good fortune.
