Archeologists find ancient decorative bead in Tibet   

西藏首次考古出土古天珠

(白玛卓玛)西藏自治区文物保护研究所副所长李林辉10日透露，在西藏阿里地区的考古发掘中，考古学者们首次发现了地层关系明确、年代确定的古天珠。该发现为考察西藏地区天珠的出现年代、形态纹饰及使用情况提供了极为重要的第一手资料。[查看全文]

(ECNS) - Archaeologists have for the first time found an ancient Tibetan "dzi" bead dating back to the second century AD in Ngari prefecture, southwest China's Tibet autonomous region.

The dzi bead, with an internal hole of 0.2 centimeters in diameter, is 2.85 centimeters long and 0.5 centimeters in diameter. The texture is a mix of dark brown and milky white.

Li Linhui, vice director of the Cultural Relics Protection and Research Institute in Tibet, said on Tuesday that the dzi bead, also known as "heaven's pearl," was found in a cemetery built about 1,800 years ago. The location and funerary objects excavated there suggest that the tomb's owner came from a wealthy class.

Li also said the bead is the best-dated so far, and the earliest found in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the world's highest plateau.

The finding provides very important first-hand material to understand the origins, forms, patterns and uses of dzi beads in Tibet, according to Li.

Dzi beads are thought to have served mainly decorative purposes. Other discoveries such as wood combs, bronze mirrors and weaving tools indicate that the tomb's owner was a female, Li added. 

However, there is a possibility that the owner was male, as men also wore dzi beads, he said.