Here is a small ensemble of beads I picked up in a small village along the shores of Erhai Lake, Yunnan China. The oblong banded agates are similar to Anne's and in context with some pictures in a Chinese publication I have seen regarding excavations at San Ta, Dali, should be of the period i.e. circa 9th-11th CE. There are loads of wierd beads coming out of China these days. abhaya