Central Asia, Tibet, ca. 19th to early 20th century CE. A rare Buddhist ritual mala or prayer bead necklace strung with thick discoidal bone beads, very likely human skull in origin. Such adornments are associated with wrathful-deity practices and esoteric rituals, where human bone served as a reminder of impermanence and the cycle of death and rebirth. The beads are arranged on a cotton cord, accented with brass rings, and terminate in leather tassel cords adorned with high-quality silver beads of approximately 90% purity. Each end is finished with a rosette bead set with inset coral and turquoise cabochons, stones symbolic of vitality and spiritual protection. A powerful and evocative ritual object that reflects the intersection of Tibetan artistry, symbolism, and sacred function. Size strand length doubled: 20" L (50.8 cm); tassels are 6.5" L (16.5 cm); bone beads: 0.5" L x 0.2" W (1.3 cm x 0.5 cm); silver quality: 89% to 91%

This item cannot be shipped to Georgia, Louisiana, or Tennessee. Please be advised that international shipping may have additional restrictions on some material. It is the customer's responsibility to be aware of their own local laws.

Provenance: ex-P.T. collection, Queens, New York, USA

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

Please note that buyers are responsible for understanding and complying with the import regulations of their destination country. While we carefully prepare and document all shipments, we cannot be held responsible for customs delays, clearance issues, additional duties or taxes, or any seizure of property. In addition, please note that we are unable to ship ancient items back to the original country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).

For those not using LiveAuctioneers' Live Ship program, Artemis Fine Arts offers expert in-house packing and worldwide shipping. With over 20 years of experience, our team provides careful, reliable, and affordable service. For a quick quote on this lot, please contact support@artemisfinearts.com prior to the auction, or call 720-890-7700.

PAYMENT EXCEPTION: Unless a known customer of Artemis, payment for all gold / precious metal / gem lots must be made via Bank Wire Transfer or Certified Bank Check/Money Order, no exceptions.



#197518

Pitting and ossification to bones as expected with age. Dark patina to bone and leather. Rubbing and softening to silver beads. Leather is still supple.