Ceremonial Necklace

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Ceremonial Necklace

Northwestern Nepal or Tibet, 19th century
Jewelry and Adornments
Turquoise, coral, mother-of-pearl beads, and bone beads; silver and copper mounts; cloth backing; yarn ties with glass and brass beads
11 x 10 x 1 in. (27.94 x 25.4 x 2.54 cm)
Gift of Helene and Dr. Joseph Pollock (M.89.112.1)
South and Southeast Asian Art
Not currently on public view

Curator Notes

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This ceremonial necklace (suta) was worn by children in the Kathmandu Valley during initiation rituals and was also used to adorn religious images. It is in the form of a ceremonial gorget, which was originally a European type of metal or leather body armor worn to protect the throat and upper chest. The Himalayan ornamental derivation was typically a cloth ground with gemstones fixed in symbolic and decorative designs. Here, the center of each of the four large circular fields of ornamentation has a lotus medallion created by the grouping of gemstones inlaid in silver (central top and bottom) or copper (flanking). See Oppi Untracht, Traditional Jewelry of India (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1997), p. 155, no. 276; and John Clarke, Jewellery of Tibet and Himalayas (London: V&A Publications, 2004), p. 59, no. 41 and p. 114, no.113. Comparable Nepalese ceremonial gorgets made of gilt silver or copper inlaid with gemstones, are in the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco (B60M22+); British Museum, London (1961,1214.1); and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (IM.296&A-1913). See also M.86.191.3.
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