Deer Motif, 38.2×5.8mm, antique etched carnelian disc (At-062926-DD)

🔍 Unretouched photos. 📐 Dimensions verified. ✅ Described from direct observation.

This disc carries a different scene on each face — and the edge between them is where the carnelian banding is most vivid.

This antique etched carnelian disc measures 38.2×5.8mm — a flat, circular form drilled through the edge for stringing, with an etched deer motif on both faces. The disc format is rare in this collection: where most pieces are elongated barrel beads, this is a pendant or ornament form, thin and light, the carnelian ground wrapping continuously from face to face through the banded edge.

The stone is a multizone carnelian. The faces carry a warm reddish-brown to honey-orange ground, the natural banding sweeping across each face in broad diagonal flows. The upper portion of the face in certain lighting carries a cooler lavender-grey tone where the carnelian thins and approaches chalcedony in character — this is the natural internal colour variation of the stone, not surface treatment. The edge profile, visible in Images 6 and 7, shows the banding in its most dramatic form: clear horizontal layers of warm orange-red, honey-golden, cream-white, and deep brown, all translucent, all distinct. At 5.8mm of thickness this banding is compressed into a richly layered edge.

The etched motif is present on both faces. Face A carries a single deer figure in a running or leaping pose — elongated legs, curved body, upswept antlers — rendered in the fine line style characteristic of antique Himalayan and Central Asian etched carnelian work. The figure is spare and energetic, closer to a petroglyph than an ornamental illustration. Face B carries a more complex scene: multiple deer figures are visible, the composition denser and more dynamic, with at least two animals distinguishable across the face. The etched lines on both faces are pale cream-white against the warm carnelian ground.

Condition — chips disclosed: Two chips are present on the edge of the disc and are documented in close-up in Images 4 and 5. Both show conchoidal fracture damage at the rim — the surface layer has broken away in each location, exposing the warm-orange raw carnelian interior beneath the polished surface. This is existing damage, fully visible in the photographs, and is reflected in the pricing of this piece. No cracks are present. This is my own observation from all six photo angles.

The Deer Motif

The deer has been a sacred animal across Himalayan, Tibetan, and Central Asian traditions for millennia. In Buddhist iconography, the deer flanks the Dharma Wheel in the teaching scenes that mark the first discourse of the Buddha at Sarnath — the moment the wheel of the teaching was first set in motion. Deer represent gentleness, swiftness, and spiritual alertness. On etched carnelian, the deer motif connects to a pre-Buddhist animistic tradition of the Himalayan plateau, where animals were etched onto stone and worn as protective talismans. At 300–500 years of age, this disc predates most living institutional Buddhism by several generations.

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Motif: Deer (etched, both faces — single figure Face A; multi-figure scene Face B)
Diameter: 38.2mm
Thickness: 5.8mm
Form: Flat disc, drilled through edge
Material: Carnelian — multizone, warm reddish-brown to honey-orange face, richly banded edge
Age Estimate: 300–500 years
Condition: Two edge chips present — conchoidal fracture damage at rim, raw carnelian interior exposed at each chip location. Fully documented in Images 4 and 5. No cracks. This is my own observation from all photo angles.
Bloodspots: Not applicable — carnelian disc
Product ID: At-062926-DD
Collection: Antique Dzi

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Other Antique Carnelian in the Shop

For antique carnelian dzi beads in the elongated barrel form, browse the Antique Dzi collection and filter by carnelian pieces including Three Eye Tiger Stripe Carnelian Dzi Chocolate Brown and Antique Six Eye Tiger Tooth Dzi Bead Honey Gold.

For ancient carnelian pieces, see the Ancient Diamond Eye In Eye Star Motif Carnelian Dzi Bead.

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📖 Learn more: What Are Dzi Beads? | What Makes a Dzi Bead Authentic?

Every bead at Ancient Dzi Shop is described and photographed without retouching, so what you see is exactly what you receive.

🔍 Unretouched photos. 📐 Dimensions verified. ✅ Described from direct observation.

Photos: Six unretouched product images: two face views (Face A and Face B), two close-up chip documentation images, and two edge profile views showing drilling and carnelian banding.

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