Here’s a little BLUESDAY inspiration from our Asian art collection, currently on view in Infinite B

 Here’s a little BLUESDAY inspiration from our Asian art collection, currently on view in Infinite Blue.These ornaments were not worn in the ear itself, but appended to a Tibetan woman’s headdress near the ears to frame the face. They served to demonstrate her personal wealth and social status. The most highly prized, sky-blue turquoise originated from mines near Nishapur in Khorosan, Iran, and was traded to Tibet via India; darker colored turquoise came from both Tibet and China. The color turquoise was important to Tibetans as a reference to the sky and lakes, while the mineral turquoise was thought to have powers that added to its appeal as a material for personal adornment. According to the Blue Beryl, an important Tibetan medical treatise written by Sangye Gyatso (1653–1705), turquoise had healing properties: an antidote for poison and a cure for diseases, including liver ailmentsPair of Women’s Ear Pendants, 17th–18th century. Tibet. Silver inlaid with turquoise. Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc., 86.227.43a-b -- source link

More pics about