Indian Plaque Amulet Depicting Hooded Naga

A serpent coiled tight as a watch spring, hood fanned and fully alert.

This plaque amulet depicting a hooded naga is Hindu, from Rajasthan, India, in coin silver. Nagas, serpent deities, are widely honored in Hindu tradition, often associated with water, fertility and protection, and amulets bearing their image have long been worn in Rajasthan. The teardrop plaque shows the naga in high relief, its body spiraling into a tight coil beneath a broad, ribbed hood. A star and a crescent moon flank the hood, and leafy stems rise along the sides. A beaded border runs around the edge, with floral bosses and a bail at the top. It is 1.7 inches long and 2.75 high.

Watchful, as a naga should be.