Abstract
The origin of Dzi beads, also called “tian zhu”, has always been a mystery. These beads come in a variety of patterns, shapes and sizes. They have cultural and heritage significance in Tibet and areas surrounding the Himalayas. The most recognized beads are those with the “eye” pattern. They are said to ward off evil spirits. Due to their reputation, the demand for Dzi beads has increased in Asia. Herein, we report a study of a Dzi bead with a three-eye pattern using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and imaging techniques. This is a novel area for Dzi bead research using X-rays from a synchrotron light source to determine the chemical composition of the bead, if the pattern is natural or man-made or if the bead is genuine or a replica. These techniques revealed the bead to be composed of agate (silicon dioxide). An interesting feature on the bead’s surface was the etched rings, which were observed to contain regular copper hot spots on their circumference. Our results suggest that the Dzi bead was genuine and started out as an earth-formed agate, with the pattern crafted.
Highlights
The origin of Tibetan Dzi beads, known as “tian zhu” or commonly accepted as Tibetan beads, has always been a mystery
Optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) Observations The optical and SEM images are shown in Figure 2 together with the Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis
We have presented and analyzed all data from X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) imaging and micro-X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) of selected regions of the Dzi bead
Summary
The origin of Tibetan Dzi beads, known as “tian zhu” (heaven’s pearl) or commonly accepted as Tibetan beads, has always been a mystery. They first appeared between 2000 and 1000 BC in countries surrounding the Himalayas. It is said that the beads would be thrown away if they became imperfect in any way This story explains why Dzi beads are never found in perfect condition [1,2]. The story tells of a man in the mountains who supposedly threw his hat over such an insect, petrifying it This petrified insect is said to have been a Dzi bead [1,2]. That Dzi beads are made from agate, a form of chalcedony quartz with a chemical composition of SiO2 [1,2,3]
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