Antique Nine Eye Dzi with Bloodspots - Rare Large Bead Suitable As Altar Piece

Antique Nine Eye Dzi with Bloodspots - Rare Large Bead Suitable As Altar Piece

This bead is adorned with the Nine Eye Motif.  The Nine Eye Motif is the King of all Motifs.  It is believed to be the most powerful of all dzi beads.  It is the favorite dzi motif of businessmen in Asia because it ushers in wealth.

This bead measures 77.0 mm x 12.8 mm.  It is an unusually large bead, making it suitable as an altar piece.  It is an old bead, estimated to be between 300 to 500 years old.  

The bead material is high quality natural agate.  There are bloodspots throughout the entirety of the dzi bead.

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.