Ancient Twin Tiger Stripe & Tiger Tooth Carnelian Dzi, 26.5mm × 13.5mm, bicolour terracotta-red and deep grey-black agate, octagonal (Ac-061126-TSTT)

We never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.

This bead looks like two different stones — or rather one stone that decided to be two things, a warm terracotta-red and a deep grey-black — and the motif runs across both without acknowledging the boundary.

That two-tone ground is the first thing you notice. Most carnelian dzi carry one main colour. Here a vivid terracotta to orange-red zone fills roughly half of each face, and a deep grey-black fills the other. The change between them is a gradual blend, the stone's own natural banding. The sandy-cream to off-white lines, with their granular aged texture, cross the colour boundary without pause, so the two zones read as one field.

"Twin" refers to the two tiger patterns on each face. The upper part carries the tiger tooth: large single V-shaped teeth with pointed bases and open tops. The lower part carries the tiger stripe: three to four rows of parallel V-chevrons all pointing the same way. Seen one way, they are two related bands, stripe below and tooth above; seen another — most strikingly on Face A (Image 2) — teeth and stripes cross at the centre to form a large diamond or X. Two tiger symbols, each strengthening the other.

At 26.5mm × 13.5mm the bead is wide for its length, with a substantial, weighty feel. Its cross-section is octagonal, with flat faces and crisp ridges visible in every photograph. The end caps (Images 6 and 7) are a vivid terracotta-red, with small, weathered drill holes in keeping with its age.

The Twin Tiger Stripe and Tiger Tooth Motif

The tiger stripe (虎紋) and tiger tooth (虎牙) are related but distinct expressions of tiger symbolism. The stripe stands for steady, tireless strength — the tiger in motion. The tooth stands for decisive force at a single point — the strike that breaks through obstacles. Together they combine endurance and decisive power, a complete expression of the tiger's protection.

Specifications

• Motif: Twin Tiger Stripe and Tiger Tooth (虎紋 + 虎牙); stripe bands below, tooth forms above, crossing in a diamond on the main face
• Length: 26.5mm
• Diameter: 13.5mm
• Form: Octagonal barrel, wide at the waist, tapering to pointed ends
• Material: Two-tone carnelian, terracotta-red and deep grey-black (natural banding); sandy-cream motif lines; terracotta-red end caps
• Age: Ancient, estimated 500–1,000 years
• Condition: No cracks or chips; small weathered drill holes; aged granular texture in the lines
• Bloodspots: None seen in the photographs
• Product ID: Ac-061126-TSTT
• Collection: Ancient Dzi Beads | Carnelian Dzi

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Further Reading

• Carnelian Dzi Beads: The Pema Raka Guide
• Dzi Bead Motifs and Their Meanings

The stripe for endurance, the tooth for force — one two-tone carnelian carrying both.