An unusual necklace that’s been handmade utilizing hand made heishi beads (dime size) with tightly woven string twine and a heishi bead closure as well as the brass deity.
The brass deity is one of the many faces of Mahakala. His fearsome form assumes many faces, and many names that span across a multitude of cultures. Otherwise known as the God of Time, or the Great Black One, Mahakala is a "Protector of Dharma" in Buddhism that takes different deistic forms in Tibetan, Chinese, and Japanese Buddhist cultures. In Hindu texts he is recognized as one of the eight protective deities associated with or represented as an incarnation of Lord Shiva, the creator and destroyer of the universe.
Mahakala may look frightening, but his rabid glare is not directed at you! Mahakala is the menacing and powerful embodiment of the bodhisattva of compassion. Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who have put off entering paradise in order to help others attain enlightenment, and so, Mahakala is here to help! He is always depicted as an extremely fierce and terrifying deity. His purpose is to help in overcoming negative obstacles on the path to enlightenment, and protecting that path of righteousness (also known as “dharma”) from hindrances.
Beautifully constructed and a strong, dynamic statement without being overwhelming. Heishi beads are small disc-shaped beads, traditionally made from natural materials like shell or stone. The term “heishi” comes from the Native American Pueblo people of the American Southwest, where the technique of making these beads has been used for centuries. It means “shell” or “shell beads”.
Today’s modern Heishi beads are often made from resin, vinyl, or polymer clay. These materials allow for even more versatility in color and design, as they can be dyed and molded into different shapes and patterns. It looks like these beads were made from bone or wood as each disk is unique and some of them have quite a bit of texture on the outer perimeter.
