Tibetan dZi and other Himalayan Beads

Antique Tibetan thokcha representing Vajarapani

 
Thogchag or Thokcha are also prized in the Himalayan regions and some are believed to be made from a combination of meteorite and other metals. Thogchag literally means 'Sky Fallen'. Most pieces have Buddhist influences but some are said to have their roots in the Bon tradition, which pre-dates Tibetan Buddhism. Other pieces may have originated from Persia. They are worn on the body as protective amulets, and like dZi can sometimes be prescribed in Tibetan Medicine.

Thogchag shown in the Tibetan Medicine museum in Dharamsala.