Dzee, The Most Mythical Jewel In The Himalayas Region
I first heard about this Tibetan Bead when we traveled in the Tibetan Autonomous Region years ago.
I have seen old ladies wearing traditional clothing and rich necklaces of Turquoise, but only a few of them wore this rare Dzi bead, and I almost never saw anyone wearing more than one bead on a necklace.
Back then, I did not take the time to learn more about the story of this Dzi bead (also spelled Dzee), so I didn’t know much until we arrived this time in Bhutan.
In a small jewelry shop, I found a few Dzi beads.
They were not the original Dzi, but an imitation made from dyed yak bone, set in silver.
We bought two of those Dzi beads, to wear as amulets.
We asked the jewelry maker to put them on a string so we can wear them around our necks.
In many places we visited around Bhutan, people pointed to our amulets and asked us if they were real….
We always said they were not, but that they are meaningful to us….
It was not until we were back in Thimphu that I found out more about Dzee beads.
I was sitting by the hotel’s main computer, downloading my camera cards into an external hard drive that I had brought with me to store all the many thousands of photos that we take during travel.
A few of the hotel’s employees sat next to me as I downloaded the photos.
They asked the regular questions of how I liked Bhutan, where was I from, and how long I was staying in Bhutan…..
And then they pointed to my necklaces and asked if I am a Buddhist…. And was my Dzi bead REAL……?
One of the guys was very forthcoming with information.
He told me that this bead originated in Tibet, thousands of years ago.
It is the oldest known jewelry.
For some people in Tibet, as well as in Bhutan, it is their ONLY daily treasure, being transferred from generation to generation.
One bead can hold the whole family fortune for hundreds of years.
The old Dzi beads are worth as much as $20,000 or more, based on how many “Eyes,” or rings, it has.
The mythical stories about Dzee beads are many.
in Bhutan, it is believed that these are mystical stones, made of the bones of a mythical and rare animal that is similar to an Otter.
They call the beads “Cat’s eye Dzi.”
Other mythical stories say that those beads are called the “Eyes of the gods,” and that those Dzee beads are actually petrified tears that fell from the eyes of the gods.
If you press, they will reluctantly say that the beads are probably made from Agate stone, or etched agate stones, but that this does not detract from the mysticism and power of these amulets.
One of the hotel employees inherited a real old Dzi from his family.
On my request, he brought it the next day to show to me.
The other employees told me that they came from the poor region of East Bhutan, and that they would never be able to afford a real Dzi.
Only landowners or people with connections to the royal line, can afford a real Dzi bead.
Crimes are committed by people trying to steal the precious Dzi.
In Bhutan, a person was stopped at the airport on charges of trying to smuggle fake dzees.
In 2005, eight men were arrested in Bhutan for illegally selling these precious stones across the border.
In 2008 a man was conned when he didn’t get the Nu 400,000 ($8000) promised for a two–eyed Dzee.
Nine men were arrested from Paro when they hunted for Dzees.
They were charged with vandalizing a stupa (a chorten) to get the precious Dzees that were the relics inside the stupa.
In a highly publicized 2007 case, a man from Punakha was murdered for his Dzees.
When the Dalai Lama escaped recently occupied Tibet along with a large group of Tibetans, they took with them precious stones and Dzees, in order to pay their way through, to exchange the Dzee for food, and to use as bribes.
Most Tibetans and Bhutanese cannot afford to buy old Dzees, so they buy real New Dzees.
If they did not inherit it from past generations, they buy a real agate Dzee, and take it on a pilgrimage to holy places, or to high Spiritual Lamas, and thus “Charge it” with power.
When you visit holy places, and places that have special meaning for you, you can charge your amulets with power from those holy places and from blessings.
These new Dzi amulets then serve as if they were old family treasures.
For Bhutanese people, for Tibetans and other Himalayan people, the Dzi is a “precious jewel of supernatural origin” with great powers to protect its wearer from harm.
In Tibet, the stories of the origin of the Dzee are different.
Some Tibetan people believe that Dzi beads are spiritual stones fallen from Heaven which have the power to alter the Karma of those who own them, and to bring them many blessings.
It is believed that the ancient Dzi’s absorb cosmic energy from the universe, and are not created by human hands.
In a few Tibetan temples, you can see Dzi beads adorning the most revered statues and sacred relics.
This is why when you visit those temples, you have to find the caretaker who holds the key to the temple.
Most of those temples are kept locked out of fear of robbery.
But they will be more than happy to open the temple for you to look, pray or meditate.
The Dzi amulets are believed to be so powerful that some Tibetan refugees claim that the Dzi protects them from knife or even bullet attacks.
Stories tell of lucky shepherds and farmers who found Dzees in the grasslands or while cultivating fields around Tibet, and also in neighboring Bhutan, Ladakh and Sikkim.
Some stories say that thousands of years ago, a meteor from Mars crashed into the Himalayas.
The elements of soil from the Meteor combined with agate stones to create the different types of Martian elements found in the Dzi beads.
It is believed that this is why you see “Star Eye Circles” inside the Dzi, and that those beads are charged with an extra strong magnetic field.
Those who believe in the healing powers of stones and amulets say the mystical powers of Dzi beads can enhance blood circulation and promote healthy metabolism.
They also can improve sleep, revitalize the body and balance its energy and magnetic fields.
It is believed that it can balance emotional energies that are stored in the visceral organs and move through the pathways or the meridians in the body.
When these energies or emotions are blocked, because of resentment, grievances, stress, trauma or disease, the five elements in the energetic body get imbalanced.
The five elements of the energetic body are Fire, Water, Earth, Metal and Wood.
It is believed that everything in the world is made up of a combination of these elements.
There is an undeniable interconnectivity between our bodies and the universe around us.
The whole Oriental philosophy of health and healing, is centered around restoring balance to the energetic body, as imbalances cause all diseases in the body and in the mental body as well.
It is believed that all of our internal organs are linked to some of the five elements.
The liver and the gall bladder are linked to the Wood element,
The small intestines and the heart are connected to the Fire element,
The spleen and the stomach to the Earth element,
The lungs and large intestine to the Metal element,
The kidneys and bladder to the Water element.
When an imbalance occurs, one must adjust his/ her habits, to restore balance and to allow our natural ability to heal to take place.
It is natural when we go through life, to fall out of balance, and we must be willing to adjust and to restore balance.
There are many myths and legends in Tibet and in Bhutan, describing the origin of the Dzee bead.
Among the many mythical stories, there is the belief that the Dzi were once insects that lived in a high nest called “Dzi Tshang” in Tibet.
It is believed that the insects became petrified in the form of the Dzi that exist today.
Another legend says that there was a time in ancient history when Tibet was overwhelmed by several epidemics, and the people faced famine and much hardship.
The compassionate form of the Buddha called Vajravarahi, offered help by releasing the magical Dzi Beads from the sky.
Since some Dzee beads were found in the fields or in mountains, so many stories sprouted up around that.
An employee at our hotel in Thimphu, told me a story about a man and his father who walked their horses up a steep narrow path.
Suddenly, the lead horse refused to go any farther.
The father and son urged the lead horse to continue, but the horse refused and ran away.
The father ran after the horse while the son continued up the path.
He saw a shimmering light glowing from an object on the ground.
He picked it up, and it was a Dzee bead.
The son knew nothing about the mythical Dzee beads from the gods, and he just threw it down and walked away…
The hotel employee (named Sonam Wangdee) said that the moral of the story is that a foolish man will always miss opportunities that are presented to him….
He will not recognize a real treasure, even if it shines and glows…
Sonam said that there is a saying in Bhutan, that foolish and unlucky people with bad Karma, will even melt iron or gold if they hold it in their hands…. It will just slip right through their fingers….
i m buyer & a seller of dzee original ones
,if anyone intrested in buying real original dzee stones then plz contact me in 9434213876
I have 2 eyed Dzee original one what is the prize please email me at pamdorg@yahoo.com
thanks
Dze value is depend on colour length and other things…price starts from2.5k to 15k…..
Hello,
i habe one three and one eine eyw dzee beads.its genuine and has been tested. If anyone intested. please contact me for details. Tel. 00351 920359605. vor mail knitenhtc@gmail.com
I have one dzee with two eyes . How much is the cost, …….
Hi my name is Rudy I have a five eye dzi Tibet stone and would like to to sell it
hi rudu.. if you want to sale dzi then you can drop your number to me.. i am intrested in buying dzi.. thank you
Who is buying dzee and what actually is made out of it?
Hi… I happen to have a Dzi Universe Bead. Have had it in the family a for long time. No idea where my grandfather got it from, or from whom. I cannot find an expert here who can authenticate it, or do not have any labs to do the job. Anyone’s expert opinion would count. Thank you.
PS: I don’t see an option here to upload photos of it
Hi and thank you for your comment.
Since your Dzi is old and you are sure that it has has been in the family for a long time, then it must be an original and a valuable one.
Fake Dzi started to flood the markets, Manufactured in Taiwan from glass or ceramic, only in the last ten or so years, after demand for Dzi beads has increased.
There are a few DZI dealers around the Himalayas states, namely in Sikkim, Bhutan and Tibet that will be able to evaluate beads correctly.
I bought my original Dzi (it is original but not an old one, and it is not shown in those pictures) in a store in Drajeelign.
It is original, meaning that it is an agate Dzi stone! naturally formed with those beautiful black and white patterns! but it is not old! which adds much value to the stone.
While dealing In Dzi, it is also important who owned it before which can also increase the value.
If it was owned by a beloved lama etc.
The Dzi stones does seem to generate great market value in Tibet and Bhutan, where the mystical value of those beautiful naturally formed stones is appreciated.
Many thanks
Tali
Miss Landsman,
Thank you for re-posting in regards to my post. My grandfather died in 1975… 8 years before I was born. He had had the bead way longer than that (according to my grandmother who died in 1991). So, apparently, it is old. Nobody in my family cares about gems or antiquities. I happened to get my hands on it and I thought it is worth a try to try getting it authenticated/certified. I can share the photos of it with you.
Thank you for reading this post and for commenting.
I would love to see photos of your Dzi.
Since this website does not allow uploading of images in the comments section, you can email me at: TaliLandsman@me.com
Thank you for your comment above, it is really helpfull i am very much interested to buy the orignal one but don’t don’t where. could you tell me how much it cost, in Bhutan.
@ Chhewang Sherpa:
Hi…
Miss Landsman’s assistance is very much appreciated. You can see the bead in Nottingham (England). If you are interested, I can let my brother know and he can arrange a meeting. Thank you.
Regards,
Miss I have two picies of zee.both of them hav two eyes I want to know value of thows two .so plese miss contact me..
Dear Karan,
Thank you for contacting me regarding your two Dzees.
I am more of a reporter, or a journalist, and not a Dzee trader or dealer.
Maybe this dealer can help you with getting a value for your beads.
Their website is: http://www.garudashop.com/dZi_Beads_s/26.htm
Their email is: orders@garudashop.com
Good luck with your search!
Tali
I have one 3 eyed dzi n i want to know how much price i can fetch, its an original one n was found from the dung of a cow,believe it or not but it was true. M from bhutan . I dont want to sell but just to know how much valuable it is…if u guys hav any good suggestions please do hlep me as my email id is haaptsheerin@gmail.com
Hi I have zee stone one eye and langu tsongu. If anyone interested text me
hi tenzing.. if you want to sale dzi then you can drop your number to me.. i am intrested in buying dzi.. thank you
Hi Tenzing, Could you share your contact details ?I am interested in selling.
I have one dzi stone , it has one eyes… it was found from one sister, and she gets it from her mother,, who has been staying in Himalayan region in village…. her mother said that was found from her grandmother …. who were too older… … … .. Live in Nepal Himalayan region…. contact me: bchhoku@gmail.com
i have one eye zee
I have 3eyes dzi stone
And 20yrs old
I have a pair of two eyed dzee. For immediate sale. Email me rinduka@gmail.com
Hi, I have 3 eyes dzee and i want to sell.
I have a pair of two eyed dzee. For immediate sale. Email me rinduka@gmail.com
I have original dzee want to sale if someone wants to buy contact 09816369233
I HV one dzi n it got three eyes…it is said DAT it is passed generation to generation of my mothers family who lived in eastern side of Bhutan…if anyone interested buy u can find me at rebuxxx88@yahoo.com.
Hello Tali ,i read ur blog and its really nice ! I have two eyes dzee ,original from india .i want to sell it.anybody interested lemi know .no 7076719007.
Thank you Norbu! I hope you can will be able to make a contact to sell your Dzi.
i have one three dzi and one 6 eye dzi contact at jamtsholeki1989@gmail.com
I am from Bhutan I have a nine eyed dzee. Can u help
you can contact me with jamtsholeki1989@gmail.com
With all due respect, everyone, I would like to point out that Miss Landsman is not a dZi dealer. Of course out of her consideration and kindness she responds as much as possible, but if you would like to sell your beads, there are a lot of other forums where you could sell those. Miss Landsman, in no way, knows I am writing this, but I thought I would just point it out. No hard feelings. Peace…!!!
Thank you very much for your comment!
Yea, you are right, I do not trade in Dzee, but I am happy to help people with Dzee make contacts with one another if they wish to use this post for it.
Everyone is always welcomed!!!
Peace and love,
Tali
It wasn’t my place to say that out loud, but I do appreciate your kindness, Miss Landsman. BTW, I am a big fan of your work (from thousands of miles away). Keep rocking!
Peace!
You are SOOOO sweet! You made me smile.
thanks, and with a million smiles,
Tali
I have a two eye zee and another one without eye, but very unique transparent with good size..
Serious buyer can contact me
Kinzatalop89@gmail.com
Love your article; where can I get a copy of the masthead colored picture?
hello
I have a 9 eyed dzi and a 6 eyed dzi for sell if you are willing to buy do contact me in whatsapp or wechatt 0097517457911
Do u still have this 9 eye dzee. I need 1 for health benefits. I am getting old but cannot afford the thousands of rupees it seems this magical bead costs. So can you help me and if it’s a genuine bead do let me know your lowest offer free shipping to Pune, Maharashtra India. Pl. Help me and reply to me asap .
Thanks.
God Bless you for this
Regards
Mrs. Parvin Madan
Pls write to me in this add knitenhtc@gmail.com
Sachin Rai Wrote: I have 3 eyes dzi beads orginal old.
I want to sell them.
Any person who is interested please call me +919821928253 sachin rai I need a deal
Or email Raishachin@yahoo.com
I have one eyed diz…can any person who is interested
I want to sell it and hurry up! I need money please!
For reliable information about zi beads, please read my article for Arts of Asia (2002), or any of the many dialogues I have composed for beadcollector.net Forum. Or my 2019 article for Ligabue magizine (published in Italian and English at Venice—though this is shorter and more popular in scope). The beads you acquired with silver caps are, unfortunately, probably plastic. Very few realistic-looking imitation zi are made from bone. But this is routinely said about the plastic beads. I have studied and collected Tibetan zi beads since the 1980s. JD Allen