Featured Carved disc bracelet

I've never bought any jewellery before today, so I start from a position of absolute ignorance. This is probably quite new, and may well be very common sort of thing, though I can't find anything like it online. It's a bracelet consisting of eight discs, each about 1.8cm across, carved with eight different patterns. Each disc is pierced by two holes for the cord, and each cord has two little flattened beads of the same material between each disc. They seem to be made of some kind of stone; there are signs of grain in some of the discs, but they certainly don't feel like wood (although they look rather like it). I haven't worked out what they all represent: one has two fish and one a basketwork pattern; others may show a turtle, a vase on a table, a gateway and a pair of birds. I can't make up my mind if it looks more African, Asian, or North American. I bought it in England, but I don't think it's local.

 

I know nothing about your piece, but without sounding patronizing, I wanted to commend your post! You have composed a very complete description of the piece and included some magnificent photographs!

And you tossed in a bit of quiet, dry wit...........I like that in a person..........and a post!

 

As Mansons said, you did a great job, so you deserve an extensive answer.
Brace yourself:
It is a Buddhist bracelet, with stylised symbols of the Ashtamangala, the sacred suite of Eight Auspicious Signs, or Eight Buddhist treasures.
The signs are:

- The endless knot (the basketry pattern) - the intertwining of wisdom and compassion, and interconnectedness of other important aspects which will lead to enlightenment.
- The victory banner - the victory of the activities of one's own and others body, speech and mind over obstacles and negativitities.
- The Dharmachakra, or wheel of law - the turning of the wheel of Dharma, which means continuous instructing of Buddha's teachings and living according to them. (It looks a bit like a sun on your bracelet.)
- The bejewelled parasol - protection from illness, harmful forces and suffering. (Second picture on the right.)
- The goldfish - a state of fearlessness, without danger of drowning in the ocean of sufferings.
- The wisdom or treasure vase - an inexhaustible vessel for wisdom, longevity, health, wealth, prosperity. Also the wisdom and spiritual treasure gained through initiation.
- The lotus flower - rising from wordly defilement to purity through spiritual growth, just like the beautiful lotus flower rises from muddy waters.
- The right-coiled white conch - the deep and far-reaching sound of the Dharma teachings, which awakens disciples from the deep slumber of ignorance. (Picture 2, central medallion.)

These symbols were originally ancient Indian symbols of royalty and have found their way to Hinduism and Buddhism. Gautama Buddha himself was a prince.

A long story, but although the bracelet has wonderul symbolism, it does not have the monetary value to match it.

 

I think it's bone with brown dye on it. I don't think it has much age on it, but wear it if you like it.

 

Good work; thank you all. Very positive symbolism, and even as a believer in nothing in particular I can live with all that. I hadn't thought of bone; but looking at the photos, rather than the object itself, it does look very organic.

I've found a couple of Nepali and Tibetan bone bracelets along the same basic lines as this on sale new online; not as nice as mine, though, so 50p well spent.

 

THAT was a bargain, no matter anything else!