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Ancient Dzi Shop

Ancient Carnelian Pumpkin Dzi Bead Pair, 18.8mm × 16.1mm & 19.1mm × 16.2mm, ribbed melon form (Ac-061126-PKP)

Name: Ancient Carnelian Pumpkin Dzi Bead Pair, 18.8mm × 16.1mm & 19.1mm × 16.2mm, ribbed melon form (Ac-061126-PKP)
Price: 8000.0 USD
Availability: InStock

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

These two beads have no motif. The form is the message, and the form is a pumpkin carved from carnelian, with a surface the stone itself has written over a very long time.

The pumpkin or melon bead (瓜形珠, guā xíng zhū) is one of the oldest and rarest body forms in the Himalayan and Central Asian bead tradition. Both beads in this pair share the same geometry: a near-spherical body slightly compressed at the poles, with five to six pronounced vertical ribs running from drill hole to drill hole, creating rounded lobes that give each bead its distinctive silhouette. This ribbed form required deliberate shaping of the carnelian before any finishing, and the even spacing of the lobes shows skilled work. There is no etched motif on either bead: the form carries the meaning.

The two beads are distinct from each other in ways that reward careful looking. Bead A (18.8mm × 16.1mm) is a deeper, cooler reddish-brown throughout, with a surface almost entirely covered in a dense, intricate crackle: a fine network of surface lines across every lobe valley, leaving only the rib peaks smooth. This crazing is a typical sign of long age in carnelian, reading from a distance as fine lace. Bead B (19.1mm × 16.2mm) is warmer: honey-brown to golden-brown carnelian with visible natural banding, lighter honey-gold zones alternating with deeper warm brown, running vertically with the lobes. Its crackle is present but less pervasive, so the natural banding is easier to read. These differences reflect the character of each stone and are visible in the unretouched photographs.

The drill holes on both beads (Images 5–6 for Bead A; Images 10–11 for Bead B) are small and slightly off-centre, with weathered, roughened openings consistent with hand-drilling. The 1,000–2,000 year estimate places these beads alongside the Ancient Fifteen Eye Lotus Carnelian Sphere, and their surface weathering is consistent with that range.

The Pumpkin / Melon Form

The pumpkin bead draws its meaning from the gourd and melon's role in Chinese and Himalayan tradition as an emblem of abundance: a single fruit holding many seeds, each seed a new generation. The form is associated with harvest, fertility, and the multiplying of good fortune. Worn as a pair, pumpkin beads are said to double that blessing. Read more in Carnelian Dzi Beads: The Pema Raka Guide.

Specifications

Motif: None; the ribbed pumpkin/melon form (瓜形珠) with five to six vertical lobes is the motif
Length: 18.8mm (Bead A) / 19.1mm (Bead B)
Diameter: 16.1mm (Bead A) / 16.2mm (Bead B)
Form: Near-spherical pumpkin with pronounced vertical ribbing; compressed at the poles
Material: Natural carnelian. Bead A: deep reddish-brown, dense surface crackle; Bead B: warm honey-brown with natural banding, lighter crackle
Age estimate: Ancient, 1,000–2,000 years
Condition: Surface crazing on both beads (age-related); drill holes slightly off-centre with weathered openings; no chips; no structural cracks
Bloodspots: None visible
Product ID: Ac-061126-PKP
Collections: Carnelian Dzi (Pema Raka) | Original Ancient Dzi | Pairs & Sets