{"product_id":"ancient-round-tiger-tooth-dzi-bead-ac-021724-tt","title":"Ancient Round Tiger Tooth Dzi Bead, 16.5×14.6mm, agate (Ac-021724-TT)","description":"\u003cp\u003e✦ All photographs are unretouched. ✦\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn a round bead, the tiger tooth has no fixed position — and on this one, it never resolves the same way twice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tiger tooth motif on a standard barrel dzi sits on a defined face, bounded by end caps and a known axis. On this bead there is no axis and no face — the motif wraps a sphere, and the two tooth elements shift their relationship to each other depending entirely on how the bead is oriented. Images 2 through 7 show six different rotations, and in each one the composition reads differently: sometimes two upward-pointing chevrons separated by a horizontal band, sometimes a single broad V-form dominating the visible hemisphere, sometimes the lower tooth emerging from the base zone while the upper tooth recedes. The motif is the same in every photograph. The reading is not.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ground across this bead is deep cool grey-brown — a tone that sits between warm brown and cool grey without fully committing to either, the colour shifting slightly depending on the light source and angle. The lighter zones, where the tooth elements sit, read as cool silvery grey-cream against the darker ground. The contrast between the two tones is lower than on most dzi in this collection: these are not cream motif lines on a dark base but two tones of the same grey-brown family, differentiated by depth rather than by a fundamental colour difference. The result is a bead that reads as unified in colour and complex in composition — the motif present throughout but never demanding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eImages 8, 9, and 10 are macro photographs taken in hand, showing the surface and drill hole detail at close range. Image 8 shows one drill end: the hole is well-centred within a slightly recessed zone, and the surface around it shows fine age-consistent micro-pitting and subtle surface texture not visible at normal shooting distance. Image 9 shows the main body face at close range — the cool grey-cream tooth element and the deeper grey-brown ground zone visible in high detail, the transition between the two tones smooth and fully integrated rather than sharply edged, consistent with long-aged alkaline etching. Image 10 shows the opposite drill end, the hole equally well-centred, the surrounding surface carrying the same fine micro-texture as the first end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo cracks or chips are visible in any of the nine photographs — across all images including the macro shots. The bead is extremely well preserved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Tiger Tooth Motif\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tiger tooth (虎牙, hǔ yá) is one of the most elemental forms in the dzi vocabulary — a bold V-chevron associated with the strength, courage, and protective power of the tiger across Tibetan and Chinese symbolic tradition. On elongated barrel dzi, the tooth sits on a defined face and the composition is fixed. On a spherical bead of this age, the same motif becomes something more dynamic: it occupies the full surface, rotates with the bead, and never presents the same composition from the same angle twice. The tiger tooth motif is also understood by some practitioners and collectors as a variant reading of the wave motif — the same chevron form interpreted either as a tooth pointing upward or a wave cresting — and both readings carry auspicious associations: strength and courage from the tooth reading, continuity and flow from the wave reading. This bead supports both interpretations equally.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpec Block\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tiger Tooth \/ Double Wave (虎牙 \/ 波紋) — two bold V-chevron elements wrapping full circumference of spherical form; reads as tiger tooth or wave depending on orientation; deep cool grey-brown ground; cool silvery grey-cream motif zones\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 16.5mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 14.6mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Near-spherical round; no fixed axis or orientation; slightly flattened at drill poles\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Agate — deep cool grey-brown ground; cool silvery grey-cream motif zones; band-specific translucency consistent with agate\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 500+ years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e No cracks or chips visible in any photograph including macro shots. Fine age-consistent micro-pitting at drill end zones visible in macro Images 8–10. Extremely well preserved overall.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-021724-TT\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/original-ancient-dzi\"\u003eAncient Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Tiger Tooth \u0026amp; Round Dzi Beads\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExplore other tiger tooth and round-form dzi in our collection — from spherical beads with wave-tooth combinations to compact and larger formats across all age tiers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAntique Round Tiger Tooth \u0026amp; Wave Forms\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eComplementary round-form dzi featuring tiger tooth and wave motifs in antique age tier:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-round-wave-tiger-tooth-dzi-bead-17mm-at-080926-wtt\"\u003eWave \u0026amp; Tiger Tooth, 17.8×15.6mm, very dark brown agate (At-080926-WTT)\u003c\/a\u003e — $500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-round-wave-tiger-tooth-dzi-bead-at-111325-wtt\"\u003eAntique Round Wave \u0026amp; Tiger Tooth Motif Dzi Bead, 18.6×17.5mm, agate (At-111325-WTT)\u003c\/a\u003e — $800.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-round-four-eye-lotus-treasure-vase-dzi-bead-19mm-at-080926-4elt\"\u003eFour Eye, Lotus \u0026amp; Treasure Vase, 19.9×16.6mm, warm dark brown agate (At-080926-4ELT)\u003c\/a\u003e — $500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-round-six-eye-lotus-cross-dzi-bead-at-121025-6elc2\"\u003eAntique Round Six Eye Lotus \u0026amp; Cross Motif Dzi Bead, 21.2×17.5mm, agate (At-121025-6ELC2)\u003c\/a\u003e — $800.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/pair-of-antique-round-tiger-tooth-motif-dzi-beads-with-bloodspots\"\u003eTiger Tooth Motif Pair, 20.3×14.7mm \u0026amp; 20.5×14.7mm, warm terracotta agate with bloodspots (At-062926-TTBS)\u003c\/a\u003e — $600.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNew \u0026amp; Vintage Round Tiger Tooth Forms\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContemporary and vintage interpretations of tiger tooth in round and compact spherical forms:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/vintage-round-tiger-tooth-motif-dzi-bead-r-tt-1\"\u003eTiger Tooth Motif, 22.1×18.3mm, cream-white and brown agate (V-062926-TT)\u003c\/a\u003e — $600.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-round-tiger-tooth-motif-dzi-bead-red-tint\"\u003eTiger Tooth Motif, 21.0×17.7mm, rose-red agate (N-062926-TT)\u003c\/a\u003e — $200.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-pair-of-round-tiger-tooth-dzi-beads-with-extreme-bloodspots\"\u003eTiger Tooth Motif Pair, 21.9×17.2mm \u0026amp; 20.7×17.2mm, brown-ground agate with bloodspots (N-062926-TTBS2)\u003c\/a\u003e — $300.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDouble Wave \u0026amp; Related Round Forms\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRound-form dzi featuring wave motifs and related patterns, complementary to tiger tooth compositions:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-round-double-wave-dzi-bead-uv-verified-ac-072326-rdw\"\u003eRound Double Wave Motif, 26.1×21.6mm, Pitch-Black Agate, UV-Verified (Ac-072326-RDW)\u003c\/a\u003e — $12,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/vintage-double-wave-round-dzi-pair-dark-brown-v-060426-dwp\"\u003eVintage Double Wave Round Dzi Bead Pair, 20.2×17.6mm \u0026amp; 20.3×17.3mm, dark brown \u0026amp; honey-tan (V-060426-DWP)\u003c\/a\u003e — $600.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/vintage-round-double-wave-dzi-bead-taiwan-1980s-single\"\u003eDouble Wave Motif, 20.8×17.7mm, very dark brown and cream agate (V-062926-DW)\u003c\/a\u003e — $300.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAncient \u0026amp; Premium Round Dzi\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRare ancient spherical forms and premium round dzi across multiple motifs:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-round-eight-eye-lotus-dzi-bead-white-agate-ac-082326-8el\"\u003eAncient Round Eight Eye Lotus Dzi Bead, 24.4×22.4mm, White Agate (Ac-082326-8EL)\u003c\/a\u003e — $5,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-round-treasure-vase-dzi-bead-ac-011824-tvr\"\u003eAncient Round Treasure Vase Motif Dzi Bead, 19.0×15.4mm, agate (Ac-011824-TVR)\u003c\/a\u003e — $2,500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-six-eye-lotus-cross-dzi-bead-pair-ac-020124-6elc\"\u003ePair of Ancient Six Eye Lotus \u0026amp; Cross Motif Dzi Beads, 21.5×18.4mm \u0026amp; 21.3×18.6mm, agate (Ac-020124-6ELC)\u003c\/a\u003e — $15,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-round-tiger-stripe-stars-carnelian-dzi-ac-122224-tss\"\u003eAncient Round Tiger Stripe \u0026amp; Stars Carnelian Dzi, 20.1mm × 19.1mm, reddish-brown sphere, full-surface motif with heavy calcification (Ac-122224-TSS)\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,300.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/where-do-dzi-beads-come-from-origin-history-mystery\"\u003eWhere Do Dzi Beads Come From?\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/dzi-motifs-and-their-interpretations-other-motifs\"\u003eDzi Bead Motifs and Their Meanings\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFive centuries on a sphere — and the motif still hasn't decided which way it's pointing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✦ All photographs are unretouched. ✦\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhotos:\u003c\/strong\u003e Unretouched product images. All photos taken by Ancient Dzi Shop.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44818687000742,"sku":null,"price":2500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/Ancient_Tibetan_Round_Tiger_Tooth_Dzi_1_d69b2c1b-2b96-442c-a5d5-9e02dce8888e.jpg?v=1788940984","url":"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/en-tw\/products\/ancient-round-tiger-tooth-dzi-bead-ac-021724-tt","provider":"Ancient Dzi Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}