Indian Plaque Amulet Depicting Boteh

A slender plant rises from a curled base, enclosed by a thick raised rim.

This plaque amulet depicting a boteh is Hindu, from Rajasthan, India. It is coin silver. The motif is often linked to the shape of a leaf, a seed or a cypress, and it is widely seen on Kashmir shawls and Persian cloth. Teardrop outline with a tall loop and round boss at top. The central stem splits into curling leaves, drawn in fine, shallow lines against a smooth, pale grey ground with a slightly greenish tint at the edge. It is 0.5 inches long and 0.75 high.

Delicate engraving that has survived many a pocket.