Tibetan brass repouse capped Chank beads with inlaid coral, small red Nepalese capped beads, brass filigree beads and and order brass spacers

Brass repousse capped Tibetan Chank beads inlaid with ground coral and smaller order capped coral beads . These are interspersed with brass spacers from Africa and some brass filigree beads to make this statement necklace.

Small chips and pitting are a normal part of the patina of chank beads attesting to their age and extensive use. The pitting is sometimes filled with ground coral as seem with some of the beads in this necklace.

The chank shell, also called the Indian Conch is a large gastropod shell found along the coast of India and Pakistan. This shell is sometimes referred to as Sacred Chank because of its importance in both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions. The use of chank shell dates back 4000 years. The entire shell can be adorned with silver repoussee work and used as an altar piece. Other uses for chank shell are beads. These beads can be carved, cut into disk shapes, or long oblong shapes. Chank shell is also used in prayer beads and prayer wheels in Tibet.