Indian Plaque Amulet Depicting Kali

Arms flung wide, she steps forward in motion, and the little dog below seems to be keeping pace.

This plaque amulet depicting Kali is Hindu, from Rajasthan, India, in coin silver. Repousse, in which the design is hammered up from the back of a thin sheet, was the usual method for these amulets. The figure strides in high relief with multiple arms holding weapons and attributes, her garment cross-hatched, and a dog or jackal at her feet. Plant forms and a crescent fill the background. A plain rim outlines the leaf-shaped plaque, with a ribbed bail at the top and a pointed finial at the bottom. It is 2.25 inches long and 3.5 high.

Plenty of movement for something the size of a matchbox.