Tibetan Dzi Beads

Truly amazing is the history and folklore surrounding Tibetan jewelry and most notably, Tibetan Dzi beads. Dzi is pronounced like the letter �Z� and also spelled gZi, ghzi, zi, or tzi). There is actually an entire book devoted specifically to information about Dzi beads from Tibet. It is by Tung-Kuang, Lin and entitled, The Gzi Beads of Tibet.

The word, �Dzi� can simply be translated to mean splendour, brightness and shine. The ancient Dzi is a supernatural gemstone that is said to exhibit magical powers. It comes in different shapes and sizes and are, in actuality, a dark colored gemstone etched with a number of eyes, heavenly patterns and auspicious symbols.

Ancient Dzi beads have been around for at least 2,000 to 3,000 years and the main places of origin are Eastern and Western Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim, Ladakh and certain regions in the Himalayas.

Tibetans have viewed the ancient Dzi bead as a living gemstone for thousands of years. It is said to absorb cosmic energy from the universe and can promote good fortune by ridding oneself of the negativities life has to offer. The story that most fascinates me is about the plane crash in Taiwan where the only survivors of the crash were wearing Tibetan Dzi beads. I have no documentation of this plane crash, but I have heard this story from more than one source which makes me believe there may be something to it.

There are many types of Dzi beads and each carry their very own name and meaning. For instance there are the 9 eyes dzi bead and 3 eyes Tibetan dzi bead . The 3-eyes DZI Symbolizes rolling in heavy wealth. It enables one to connect to all 3 key components which are the body, mind and heart. Achieve Good Health, Success & Wealth. The 9 eyes dzi bead is the highest-grade dZi, that is why it fetches a higher price relatively. 9-eyes is the king of all dZi. It commands the highest price and is the most sought after of a Tibetan dzi beads. It produces good luck and enables the wearer to gain power and influence others.

Rarely have I seen so many conflicting stories about the origin of anything as in the Tibetan Dzi bead legends.

Some mythological and legendary stories conclude that the ancient Dzi beads are actually �God�s treasure�, descended to earth from the heavens and discovered by the Tibetans. Hence, Tibetans still regard Dzi as the �heavenly stone�.

Dzi beads are also said to come from the shells of mollusk-type animals which died off when the Himalayan Mountains arose from the shifting of tectonic plates causing no more seas to exist in the region.

Another legend tells of a family from India who painted the stone using a secret technique which was very difficult. When these people who knew this secret technique died, they took the secret with them, never to be discovered again!

Still, some sources say they come from meteorites in outer space or that they were precious jewels from the demi-gods.

Others swear they originated in the Dzi stream where an evil woman caused them to disappear.

Possibly Dzi beads are actually the weapons of the Asura. An Asura belongs to one of the six classes of living beings. They are opponents to Sakyamuni Buddha and do not listen to the Buddha's words. They are therefore, considered to be non-godlike, non-divine and non-human entities. These are the people who use Dzi beads as their weapons.

And then again, maybe ancient Dzi beads were once a snake-like creature that, when touched by a human being, turned into a strand of beads.

Some believe the Dzi beads are insects that can crawl, run and fly. Eventually, the crawling insects became petrified when human beings sprinkled them with sand.

Like I said, there are many theories pertaining to the origin of Tibetan Dzi beads, but who knows for sure?

Assessing Your Tibetan Dzi Beads

As with all precious, living gemstones, there are fake ones out there in which to be aware. The fake Tibetan Dzi beads can be detected using various techniques that are best done with a 10X magnification. Certainly if the bead looks new and has no irregularities, it is probably not authentic. If your interested in the authenticity of Tibetan Dzi Beads, it's a good idea to look at the holes of the bead. They should be a little worn looking and slightly irregular. Genuine Dzi beads, have circular cracks which are worn and have a rounded edges to them where the crack goes into the stone, usually from being worn for millenia. On the other hand, the modern fakes tend to have a sharp and more squared edge to them where the stone's surface has been ground and polished after the aging effect has been applied.

In rare instances, you may find Tibetan Dzi beads with cinnabar spots. That is a good sign as long as the spots do not rub off. If they do, they are obviously fake. These spots are iron deposits that have formed on the ancient dzi bead and normally cannot be seen with the naked eye.

Another good idea is to look and see if the white markings look painted. If you actually crack authentic Tibetan Dzi beads, (which you probably would not want to do,) the white goes all the way through and is not just painted on. Another way of checking authenticity.

The dzi bead is either worn as a single bead around the neck or as a necklace incorporating other gemstones. Another popular way would be to wear a dzi bead bracelet interspersed with coral, pearls, amber or turquoise.

Legend states that if your bead breaks while being worn, this is a sign that the bead�s deed is done and is then rendered useless. I have seen beads that were repaired and commanding very high prices. I would assume these beads were broken and of no value, so I wouldn�t invest in a repaired bead.

For more information on the various types of Tibetan jewelry, click here. If you are interested other handmade ethnic jewelry from around the world, please visit my store, Jewelry Jewelry Online! Unfortunately, I have no Tibetan Dzi beads, as of yet, but I do have lots of neat items from around the world and am adding to my collection periodically, so keep checking back. Tibetan Dzi Beads - Home

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