Garuda Dzi, 32.5mm × 11.7mm, dark brown, dusty rose-brown stripes, cinnabar bloodspots (At-011425-GRD)

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

The stripe bands on this bead are not white or cream. They are a warm, dusty rose-brown — a colour we have not seen on any other bead in the collection.

Most dzi carry cream, white or golden-orange lines on a dark ground. Here the stripe bands are a soft pinkish-brown, the natural colour of this layer of agate, warm and distinctive against the deep charcoal-brown body. Within those rose-brown stripes the Garuda is drawn in bright white — wing and body forms that stand out sharply against the warmer tone around them.

The Garuda reads differently on each main face. Face A (Image 5) shows two white wing chevrons curving upward, the wings spread in the classic Garuda posture. Face B (Image 6) shows a larger, more detailed white form — wing arcs, a body and connecting lines that suggest the whole bird from a slightly different angle. The close-ups (Images 3 and 4) bring both into sharp focus, along with the stone's surface texture.

The body is a short, rounded barrel, 32.5mm × 11.7mm, fuller in cross-section than a typical spindle and substantial in the hand. The end caps (Images 2 and 7) are a warm terracotta-russet, with a vivid orange-red drill hole interior at both ends. Fine crackle weathering runs across the surface, consistent with its age.

Bloodspots

The close-ups show natural cinnabar (朱砂) inclusions as golden-brown to rust-orange micro-dots and fine tinting throughout the white and cream motif areas (Images 3 and 4). They sit within the agate, not on its surface, and are spread across the motif rather than gathered in one spot. Bloodspots are part of the stone's natural character and add to its appeal, though they are not in themselves proof of age. See our bloodspots guide.

The Garuda is one of the few figurative motifs in dzi craft — a recognisable creature rather than an abstract geometric form — which makes it far less common than eye, tiger tooth or wave designs.

The Garuda Motif

The Garuda (迦樓羅) is a powerful protector found in both Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Part eagle and part human, it is the mount of Vishnu in Hindu mythology and an important guardian figure in Tibetan Buddhism. The Garuda is the great enemy of serpents and disease; the wind of its wings is said to drive away illness and harm. A Garuda dzi is worn for protection from sickness, misfortune and negative forces, and for the clarity and strength of a being that flies above earthly obstacles.

Specifications

• Motif: Garuda (迦樓羅); white wing and body forms within dusty rose-brown stripe bands, drawn differently on each main face
• Length: 32.5mm
• Diameter: 11.7mm
• Form: Short, rounded barrel
• Material: Deep charcoal-brown agate with rose-brown stripe bands and white motif; terracotta-russet end caps
• Age: Antique, estimated 100–300 years
• Condition: No cracks; fine crackle weathering; minor surface marks consistent with age
• Bloodspots: Yes — Prominent; golden-brown to rust-orange cinnabar across the white and cream motif areas
• Product ID: At-011425-GRD
• Collection: Antique Dzi Beads | Bloodspot Dzi Beads

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Further Reading

• Dzi Bead Motifs and Their Meanings
• Bloodspots in Dzi Beads
• Real vs Fake Dzi Beads: The Collector's Guide

A protective Garuda drawn in white on rose-brown stripes, with natural cinnabar throughout.