Indian Plaque Amulet Depicting Lion

Scruffy, big-maned figure walks beneath a loop capped with a small raised eye.

This plaque amulet depicting a lion 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. Up close, a round pendant with an irregular beaded border and a tall, narrow hanging loop. The creature has a feathery mane, a long stretched body and a tail looped up behind. The pale gray surface is slightly rumpled and matte. It is 0.5 inches long and 0.75 high.

A walk-on part that became the whole show.