Reading this thread, suddenly reminded me of these beads, which I bought last May in Northern Pakistan, and had forgotten about completely. I got them on the road from Peshawar to Chitral; we had stopped for a break and a farmer came along on the way to the market. My friends talked to him about me and he showed us these beads, which they translated as being made of "jade." I asked where they came from, and he said an old fort. In my usual way, I wanted to go there, but they said it was too dangerous. (This year the situation has deteriorated so much, I'm not sure I'd even risk going to Peshawar).

Anyway, I assumed the beads were serpentine or some other soft stone, and I've been around long enough not to believe in things being found in old forts without seeing them with my own eyes. It's quite possible that they're part of that recent production you talk about, Jamey, but then again, the melon-shaped beads have a pleasant patina that seems to come from use, and many of the perforations appear to be genuinely worn also. That doesn't mean a whole lot in terms of dating when the stone is as soft as this.

They're roughly carved, but they have a translucent glow in sunlight that doesn't show up in the pictures. Now that I've dug them out, I should probably clean them up and oil them a little; probably I won't get round to it!

I'd very much like to see those prayer beads, Jamey, if you have a picture. And thanks for the thought of a mint that is built on a hill of serpentine far away in exotic San Francisco!

Cheers,

Will