Tibetan Gold, Silver & Turquoise Woman’s Belt Ornament & Matching Gilded Chain (Ghanjen or Gyenzen)

This silver and gold waist ornament was worn by high-ranking Tibetan women in Lhasa on on important public occasions.

Of T-form, it comprises three heavy arms, each of four bands of four cords of woven high-grade silver inset with gold plaques decorated with fine gold filigree work and set with turquoise cabochons in gold box settings.

The two horizontal arms terminate with solid cast silver hooks. The lower arm terminates with a round dharma medallion to which a long, heavy gilded silver chain is attached. The chain ends with an attached silver peacock motif, the crest and tail of which are inset with turquoise cabochons. The feet of the peacock are now missing.

Heavy waist ornaments such as these were worn with the central strap hanging down freely and with the chain attached to another part of the belt or dress. On important occasions, long strands of pearls, coral and turquoise beads were attached to the wheel-like end of the central strap. These could loop down almost to the ground and back up again where they were attached to the main garment somewhere near the shoulder.

A waist ornament of related form is illustrated in Casey Singer (1996, p. 142), and in Clarke (2004, p. 67).

Geoffrey-Schneiter (2012, p. 79) illustrates a related example which also has a peacock terminal on the end of a long chain. Borel (1994, p. 164) illustrates an example that has a chain terminal with a pair of peacocks.

The waist ornament here is in excellent condition other than the missing feet of the peacock.