Antique Tibetan Six Lotus Dzi Bead — Bloodspot 30.6 mm 300–500 Years (AT-B-111026-6L)

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

This bead measures 30.6 mm along its long axis and 10.6 mm at its widest point — a compact, slender barrel with gently tapered ends. Its colouring is the reverse of most dzi. Instead of pale lines on a dark ground, the agate here is predominantly light: milk-white and soft beige, warming to a pale peach-pink toward the ends, with the motif carried by deep brown panels set into it. At the tips the stone turns translucent, and in the angled end views (images 4 and 5) the peach-pink agate around each drill hole glows with light passing through it.

The motif is the six lotus. Rounded, petal-shaped panels of dark brown are outlined in white and arranged around the barrel, so that as the bead turns, one petal gives way to the next — a lotus that opens all the way around the stone rather than sitting on a single face (images 1–3). A dark band closes the design near each end. The edges where the dark brown meets the white are soft and slightly diffused, the way etched decoration settles into old agate over time.

Beneath the motif, the agate's own natural banding is clearly visible: fine, parallel growth lines run along the length of the bead, easiest to see in the macro photographs (images 6–8). Following those lines are the bloodspots — tiny orange-red to rust-brown flecks scattered through the pale zones and gathered in rows along the bands, especially toward the ends. They are iron mineral that has migrated into the stone over a long period, and their alignment with the natural banding is exactly what you expect when the mineral has entered the agate slowly along its own internal structure.

The surface carries the clear marks of age. The dark lotus panels show the most: under magnification (images 6–8) their surface is pitted and slightly uneven, with small crater-like weathering marks and fine lines where the dark etched zones have aged differently from the white agate around them. This kind of weathering forms slowly over centuries; it is among the most reliable physical indicators of genuine antiquity and cannot be reproduced artificially. The pale zones keep a soft, settled polish from long handling.

Both drill holes are centred in the tips and are functional. There are no cracks.

The Six Lotus Motif

The lotus is one of the most important symbols in Tibetan Buddhism. It rises from muddy water to bloom unstained above the surface, and so stands for purity, spiritual awakening, and the mind's capacity to remain clear amid the difficulties of life. In the dzi tradition, the six lotus motif is traditionally associated with the six realms of existence, and with the six-syllable mantra of Avalokiteshvara, Om Mani Padme Hum, each petal carrying one aspect of compassion that reaches into every realm. Six lotus dzi are worn for protection, for the clearing of negative karma, and as a support for compassion and spiritual practice. The bloodspots in the pale zones add to the bead's standing: red mineral patterning in dzi is widely valued as a sign of vitality and good fortune.

Specifications

Motif: Six Lotus — dark brown petal-shaped panels outlined in white, arranged around the barrel; a dark band near each end
Length: 30.6 mm
Diameter: 10.6 mm
Form: Compact slender barrel, tapered ends
Material: Natural agate, with fine natural banding visible beneath the motif
Color: Milk-white, beige and pale peach-pink agate; deep brown motif panels; translucent peach-pink tips
Bloodspots: Yes — fine orange-red to rust-brown iron mineral flecks in the pale zones, aligned along the natural banding
Tier: Antique
Age Estimate: Antique — 300–500 years
Condition: Very good for age. Motif intact. Weathering pits and fine surface marks in the dark lotus panels, consistent with age. No cracks. Both drill holes functional.
Product ID: AT-B-111026-6L
Collections: Antique Dzi Beads · Bloodspot Dzi · All Products

Other antique dzi beads in the collection:

• AT-B-101226-TLV — Antique Tibetan Twin Lotus Treasure Vase Dzi Bead, Bloodspot, 32.6 mm
• AT-080926-6ELCBS — Antique Six Eye Lotus Cross Dzi Bead, Bloodspots, Cream-Dominant Agate, 24.1 mm
• AT-090226-3VJBS — Antique Triple Vajra Dzi Bead, Bloodspots, 300–500 Years, 48.6 mm
• AT-071426-TaBS4 — Antique Tasso Dzi Bead, Bloodspots, Pitch-Black Agate, 29.1 mm

Further reading: How to Identify Genuine Ancient Dzi Beads · Tibetan Dzi Beads: Luck, Fortune & Meaning

Every piece at Ancient Dzi Shop is photographed unretouched and described exactly as found. What you see is what you will receive.

Photos: Unretouched images of the exact bead listed. Eight product photographs: three white-background views of the lotus panels from different sides (images 1–3); two angled end views showing both drill holes and the translucent peach-pink tips (images 4 and 5); one macro close-up of the natural banding and bloodspots (image 6); and two macro close-ups of the weathered dark panels and the bloodspots (images 7 and 8).

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