Indian Plaque Amulet Depicting Kali

The goddess dances inside a beaded teardrop, with two loops at the top so she hangs straight.

This plaque amulet depicting Kali is Hindu, from Rajasthan, India, in coin silver. In Hindu devotion Kali is generally understood as a fierce protector, and her image in silver is commonly worn close to the body. Here she appears in a raised oval panel with a blade and other emblems in her many hands, her body twisting in motion over a small figure below. A row of pellets and flower rosettes runs around the wide polished border. Twin ribbed bales sit at the top, and a small drop hangs from the point. It is 2.5 inches long and 3.75 high.

Movement in silver is harder than it looks.