Indian Plaque Amulet Depicting Boteh

A curled teardrop pendant with a sprouting plant, worn smooth on the high points.

This plaque amulet depicting a boteh is Hindu, from Rajasthan, India. It is coin silver. Silver amulets from Rajasthan are often made from coin silver, which gave smiths a metal of fairly standard purity that works well for stamping and engraving. Small leaf-shaped plaque with a plant motif of fanning leaves and tiny spirals. A rounded boss sits below a tall loop, and the pale metal surface is dull grey with darker recesses and light rubbing. It is 0.5 inches long and 0.75 high.

Small enough to lose, charming enough to keep finding.