Woman's Silver Ga'u inset with Turquoise
Tibet, 19th century
height: 12cm, width: 7.4cm
Amulet boxes or ga'us such as this one were worn by women and were
very popular in the border areas of west and south Tibet. The central
motif is a stylised lotus bud infilled with turquoise chips and surrounded
by applied pearled silver filigree wire. The ga'u was worn suspended
from the top gadrooned tube, which shows considerable wear. The lower
decoration is a stylised dorje ornament which hangs at the bottom when
worn. Common to most such ga'us this example has a copper backing
plate which sits in the ga'u.
Reference: a similar ga'u is illustrated in Clarke, J., Jewellery of Tibet
and the Himalayas, V&A Publications, 2004, p. 85.
Inventory no.: 516
See 556 for another similar ga'u.
Tibet, 19th century
height: 12cm, width: 7.4cm
Amulet boxes or ga'us such as this one were worn by women and were
very popular in the border areas of west and south Tibet. The central
motif is a stylised lotus bud infilled with turquoise chips and surrounded
by applied pearled silver filigree wire. The ga'u was worn suspended
from the top gadrooned tube, which shows considerable wear. The lower
decoration is a stylised dorje ornament which hangs at the bottom when
worn. Common to most such ga'us this example has a copper backing
plate which sits in the ga'u.
Reference: a similar ga'u is illustrated in Clarke, J., Jewellery of Tibet
and the Himalayas, V&A Publications, 2004, p. 85.
Inventory no.: 516
See 556 for another similar ga'u.
