Old Malas, Large Tibetan Buddhist Prayer Beads

Yak bone & coloured Tibetan prayer beads inlaid with coral, turquoise and brass.

There are 108 beads on these Tibetan malas. The red beads are possibly dyed yak or camel bone or possibly resin. They are finely inlaid with  small pieces of coral & turquoise. Some beads are inlaid with twisted brass wire.

We bought these malas in Leh, Ladakh from a Tibetan lady in the Refugee Market. She was originally from the Kailash region of Tibet, which we explored in 2014, but now lives in Nepal. She comes to Leh for the summer season; we met her in late September 2022, the end of the season, and we found her packing up on her last day before she went home.

Length approx 80cm