Vintage Himalayan sherpa coral necklace with brass melong

Beautiful vintage Himalayan necklace made with 'sherpa coral' beads, brass beads and a brass melong pendant with the symbol for the mantra word Aum on it.

Since hundreds of years, coral has been considered a very auspicious material by people in Himalayan regions. Its bright red color is associated with blood and lifeforce and believed to bring its owner good health and longevity and attract good fortune.

Real (mostly mediterranean) sea coral came into Himalayan regions as a very high valued trade currency. And, as happens with all such high valued but also very high priced materials, more affordable substitutes are being found and made for those who can't  acquire it. As early as the 1700's, people from the Sherpa tribe living at the foothills of the Himalayas turned to trading with glassmakers in far away regions such as China, India and even Italy and Bohemia, to produce an alternative. This glass coral-substitute quickly became valued and famous in its own right, known under the name 'Sherpa Coral'.

The sherpa coral beads used in this necklace are approximately 6 millimeters high and 1,0-1,5 centimeters in diameter. In between the sherpa coral beads, also decorative brass beads in different shapes have been used. The larger brass rings have a diameter of 2 centimeters.

The centerpiece of this necklace is a brass melong pendant with the symbol for the mantra word Aum on it, surrounded by a ring of skull symbols. This melong has a diameter of approximately 42 millimeters. Read more about the symbolism of the melong (and other mirror amulets) in the descriptions of our webshop collection "Mirrors and Melongs".

Total length of the necklace is approximately 54 centimeters. The wound black cotton cord closes with a toggle-button.

This necklace is from vintage origin, it can be dated somewhere around the mid-20th century. Due to its age and previous usage, of course some minor damages and imperfections can be seen, but overall it is still in very good (and most important; very good wearable) condition.

Only one available.