Shiva Necklace

This necklace is made of captive bone beads, a bone clasp, and a bone pendant of a ten armed Shiva. These components came from a very small necklace that no longer fit me, since it was gifted to me when I was 5 from a friend of my mother's. Yes, these bits actually came from India, and it is bone, I had it tested.

The bone beads are held captive on a brass wire that runs through the maille pattern, and crimped to the end. The metals used were brass and bronze, specifically for jewelers.


Shiva is a Hindu deity, and his name means "auspicious one". He is the destroyer god, or the transformer, and is seen as the supreme god. He is generally represented as a handsome young man, deep in meditation. He protects devotees from evil forces such as lust, greed, and anger. He grants boons, bestows grace and awakens wisdom in his devotees.