Ancient Three Diamond Spear Agate Dzi, 49.1×12.2mm, Deep Dark Brown-Black (Ac-062426-3DS)

✦ All photographs on this page are unretouched. What you see is what you receive. ✦

The six diamond forms on this bead don't sit in isolation. They link at their intersections, each pair sharing a central meeting point, so the boundary between one diamond and the next dissolves into a continuous angular chain.

That linked quality is the defining construction of the motif. On every face, two open diamond rhombuses share their connecting apex: the lower point of one diamond is also the upper point of the next, the two V-shapes meeting and merging rather than separating with a gap. This creates a continuous geometric chain of three linked pairs running across the bead's body, readable as three sets of diamond spears, one pair per face section, or as six distinct diamond eye forms depending on how the eye parses the motif. Both readings are accurate. What neither reading changes is the chain's continuity: the motif does not stop between units.

The three faces are separated by vertical cream stripe dividers, and each section between dividers holds one linked pair of diamonds. The cream motif lines are sandy-cream to off-white, with a rough, heavily weathered texture throughout. The etching has broken down and partially reintegrated with the surrounding agate over eight to ten centuries, giving the lines a crumbling, granular quality visible at this resolution. They are not sharp. They carry their age in their surface, and that roughness is one of the characteristic signs of a very old bead.

The ground is a very deep, dark warm brown approaching black, seen in the white-background photographs (Images 1, 2 and 3). The warm brown undertone of the agate is most visible at the end cap tips in Images 4 and 5, where the stone's natural colour shows through the darkened surface. The overall read is very dark, but it is agate dark, not a neutral black; the warmth is always present at the extremities.

The form is an elongated fusiform with a pronounced asymmetric taper. The end visible in Image 4 drops off to a more abrupt, narrower tip; the end in Image 5 rounds off more gradually to a broader rounded point. Both drill holes are small and centrally placed within their dark, aged tip zones. The surface throughout is matte; the original polish has been replaced by the softened, micro-pitted texture of centuries of age and handling.

No cracks or structural damage are visible across all five photographs.

The Diamond Spear Motif

The diamond (鑽石紋 / zuànshí wén) is among the oldest eye-form precursors in the Tibetan and trans-Himalayan dzi tradition: an angular, pointed rhombus that predates the circular concentric ring eye as the primary protective gaze-form in early dzi. Where the circular eye closes on itself, the diamond keeps its four pointed corners and reads as something sharper and more directional. Paired in linked sets, the diamond spear composition extends that directionality upward and downward at once, each pair pointing along both axes, with the central meeting point where the two diamonds join read as a node of concentrated protective force.

Read more about the meanings of dzi motifs in our guide to dzi motifs and their interpretations.

Specifications

• Motif: Three Diamond Spear sets (鑽石矛紋); three pairs of linked open diamond forms, each pair sharing a central apex; vertical cream stripe dividers between sections; readable as 6 diamond eyes or 3 linked spear pairs
• Length: 49.1mm
• Diameter: 12.2mm
• Form: Elongated fusiform; pronounced asymmetric taper, abrupt narrower end (Image 4), gradual broader end (Image 5)
• Material: Natural agate; very deep dark warm brown approaching black ground; sandy-cream to off-white heavily weathered motif lines; matte surface throughout
• Age estimate: Ancient, 800–1,000 years
• Condition: No cracks or structural damage visible; heavily weathered matte surface with micro-pitting consistent with age; motif lines show age-appropriate softening and partial reintegration, not damage; small centred drill holes at both ends
• Bloodspots: None
• Product ID: Ac-062426-3DS
• Collection: Original Ancient Dzi

Related Diamond and Spear Motif Dzi

Diamond and spear-form motifs share this bead's angular, concentrated protective geometry.

Ancient

• Ancient Two Diamond Eye Dzi with Bloodspots
• Ancient Eight Eye Dzi Bead, warm grey-brown agate, 500–700 years
• Ancient Three Eye Dzi, very deep dark brown agate

Antique

• Antique Three Diamond Eye Dzi, 57.5mm, deep warm dark brown agate
• Antique Diamond Spear Dzi with Bloodspots, cream-white ground
• Antique Three Diamond Eye and Tiger Tooth Dzi, pitch-black agate
• Antique Six Diamond Eye Dzi with Bloodspots, high-gloss black agate
• Antique Six Eye Diamond Spear Dzi, 33mm, warm brown agate
• Antique Six Eye Diamond Spear Dzi, 42mm, pitch-black and dark brown agate
• Antique Three Diamond Eye Tiger Tooth Dzi, rare triangular shape

→ Browse all Original Ancient Dzi

From the blog

• Where Do Dzi Beads Come From? Origin, History and Mystery
• Real vs. Fake Dzi Beads: The Collector's Guide
• How to Choose a Dzi Bead

Every bead at Ancient Dzi Shop is photographed without retouching or digital enhancement. The colour, surface, and condition shown are those of the actual piece you will receive.

All 5 product images are unretouched. Lighting may affect colour rendering; please refer to the white-background shots for the most accurate ground colour.