Large Twelve Eye Dzi with Bloodspots - Altar Piece

Large Twelve Eye Dzi with Bloodspots - Altar Piece

This bead is adorned with the Twelve Eye Motif. The Twelve Eye Motif is believed to represent authority, power, and influence. The Chinese hold in high regard for the number TWELVE. There are twelve ornaments on an emperor’s robe, twelve months in the Solar and Lunar calendars, and there are twelve deeds of Buddha.

This bead is unusually large. It measures 80.6 mm x 16.6 mm. Beads of this size are rarely worn as jewelry. It was most likely to have been used as a decorative altar piece. It is estimated to be over 500 years old. This bead is of the Xiang Xiong (像雄) style. While this bead isn't an original from the Xiang Xiong culture 3000 years ago, it is a copy from about 500 years ago making it an antique in its own right.

The bead material is high quality natural agate.

Bloodspot (Cinnabar Dot) info:

Cinnabar dots are also known as "bloodspots" or "硃砂" in Chinese. They occur when mercury and sulfur are present when the agate was formed. Mercuric sulfide (or cinnabar) is obtained when mercury reacts with sulfur. In its purest form, the color is a deep red. In fact, it is how vermilion pigment is made. However, it is difficult and rare to find it in its purest form in agate. The purest form, used to make vermillion, is usually obtained in labs where conditions can be controlled. In nature, there is usually other material present thus giving it slight variations in its redness.