Homa Ritual

Ancient Sakor Namkor dZi

 

This Sakor Namkor dZi and similar beads with a distinct dullness, are commonly looked upon as fire offering beads (although it is still unproven). Homa is an ancient fire ritual which is said to stem from the vedic sciences and is still a very important practice for Hindus. Tibetans Buddhists practice their own form of fire puja, however, it is unconfirmed if dZi beads are ever used in these offerings. If a homa is performed correctly, it is believed to remove all manner of karmic obstacles. The decoration on burnt beads will usually have a greyish look and an appearance that does not reflect the light. They are still valued but they are usually less desirable in the Tibetan marketplace. It is also possible that these beads were overheated during their creation, but since Tibetans do not believe dZi are created by man they do not adopt this belief.
also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homa_(ritual)