Pyu city-states, ancient Myanmar. Well carved as a recumbent turtle extending its head out from its shell with large bulging eyes, drilled through the mouth and back for suspension, the finely polished stone of a brown color with white, gray, and russet bands.

The finely polished stone of a nice warm gray color with white and black bands, carved in the shape of a turtle, extending its head out from its shell. Central drilling showing ancient toolmarks and allowing for suspension as a pendant.

Provenance: From the collection of Paolo Bertuzzi. Paolo Bertuzzi (1943-2022) was a fashion stylist from Bologna, Italy. He was the son of Enrichetta Bertuzzi, founder of Hettabretz, a noted Italian fashion company with customers such as the Rothschild family, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor. Paolo Bertuzzi later took over his mother's business and designed exclusive pieces, some of which were exhibited in the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum in New York, USA. He was also an avid collector of antiques for more than 60 years. His collection includes both archaic and contemporary art, and he edited two important books about Asian art, Goa Made - An Archaeological Discovery, about a large-scale archaeological project carried out with the Italian and Indonesian governments, and Majapahit, Masterpieces from a Forgotten Kingdom.
Condition: Good condition with expected age-related wear, minor nibbling, encrustations, the stone with natural imperfections.

Weight: 2.8 g
Dimensions: Length 1.8 cm

Bestowed with supernatural healing properties and a representation of fertility and security, amulets such as the following were most likely carried around.