Tibetan Silver & Turquoise Amulet Box

Woman’s Silver Filigree Amulet Box (Ga’u) with Turquoise

Lhasa, Tibet

circa 1900

height: 9.5cm, width: 9.4cm, total weight: 189g

Double-square amulet boxes (ga’us) such as this one were worn by women and were popular in and around Lhasa. The central motif of a stylised flower bud infilled with turquoise chips and set among silver filigree wire is surrounded by motifs featuring more turquoise chips.

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.

This ga’u has a silver rather than a copper backing plate.

The turquoise, faux pearl and brass bead strand is an attractive but later addition.

References

a similar ga’u is illustrated in Clarke, J., Jewellery of Tibet and the Himalayas, V&A Publications, 2004, p. 78.

Inventory no.: 591

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