Post: Post Reply: Pema Raka Beads Revisited by Beadman

Original Message: Pema Raka Beads Revisited

Hi you all,
Here's a necklace I completed last evening, consisting of nice but typical pema raka beads. These are usually associated with Tibet, and are made from a distinctive kind of carnelian. The stone is typically verging on opaque (though it can be translucent), and is usually a warm butterscotch brownish-orange. Some stones are fairly clear (unpatterned), while others show some degree of nodule structure (are agatized, or have massive quartz bands or fortress boxes).
The old beads have large perforations, and it is said they were worn "in the hair"—which may mean they were strung onto tiny braids, since this is one type of coiffeur Tibetan women of some regions favored.
There are also a LOT of new beads, made in China from the same agate, often passed-off as old beads—thought their appearance is recognizable. The new beads tend to be much more translucent, and they typically have a perforation that is large at one aperture, and small at the other. (In other words, they would not make good hair beads.)
The owner of the present group was told that these beads "came out of Afghanistan"—and he further implied that ALL pema raka beads are not Tibetan but rather Central Asian. I have maintained for many years that the stone itself may come from a source that is not Indian (like the vast majority of carnelian beads from Asia), but may have been accessible to China, Tibet, and as far away as Afghanistan. I have suggested it might be Chinese Turkistan—because this location fits the requirements. Time will tell....
In any event, the idea that these beads are "Afghan," rather than Himalayan or "Chinese" is a surprise. There are some very attractive melon-form beads made from this agate, that are found among the old beads of both Central Asia and the Himalayas—and I think THESE beads are the common-denominator. However, the large pema raka beads, known to come from Tibet, are certainly not known by me to come from Afghanistan.
Has anyone else heard this (new) story lately?
Jamey
Copyright 2024
All rights reserved by Bead Collector Network and its users

Original Message: Pema Raka Beads Revisited
Hi you all, Here's a necklace I completed last evening, consisting of nice but typical pema raka beads. These are usually associated with Tibet, and are made from a distinctive kind of carnelian. The stone is typically verging on opaque (though it can be translucent), and is usually a warm butterscotch brownish-orange. Some stones are fairly clear (unpatterned), while others show some degree of nodule structure (are agatized, or have massive quartz bands or fortress boxes). The old beads have large perforations, and it is said they were worn "in the hair"—which may mean they were strung onto tiny braids, since this is one type of coiffeur Tibetan women of some regions favored. There are also a LOT of new beads, made in China from the same agate, often passed-off as old beads—thought their appearance is recognizable. The new beads tend to be much more translucent, and they typically have a perforation that is large at one aperture, and small at the other. (In other words, they would not make good hair beads.) The owner of the present group was told that these beads "came out of Afghanistan"—and he further implied that ALL pema raka beads are not Tibetan but rather Central Asian. I have maintained for many years that the stone itself may come from a source that is not Indian (like the vast majority of carnelian beads from Asia), but may have been accessible to China, Tibet, and as far away as Afghanistan. I have suggested it might be Chinese Turkistan—because this location fits the requirements. Time will tell.... In any event, the idea that these beads are "Afghan," rather than Himalayan or "Chinese" is a surprise. There are some very attractive melon-form beads made from this agate, that are found among the old beads of both Central Asia and the Himalayas—and I think THESE beads are the common-denominator. However, the large pema raka beads, known to come from Tibet, are certainly not known by me to come from Afghanistan. Has anyone else heard this (new) story lately? Jamey Copyright 2024 All rights reserved by Bead Collector Network and its users

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