Old Malas, Small Tibetan Buddhist Prayer Beads

Coloured Tibetan prayer beads inlaid with coral, turquoise and brass.

There are 108 beads on these Tibetan malas. The beads are white - traditionally yak or camel bone - and red & blue, possibly dyed bone or possibly resin. They are finely inlaid with black - traditionally horn - and small pieces of coral & turquoise - probably artificial. Some beads are inlaid with twisted brass wire.

We bought these in Leh, Ladakh in 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