White Copper Yellow Jambhala Pendant

With a wealth deity, read the hands first. If the right hand holds up a wish-fulfilling jewel and the left cradles a mongoose, the figure is Yellow Jambhala. He comes first among the five Jambhalas, with a yellow body and a round belly, and the posture is fixed too — right leg slightly extended, left drawn in, the body leaning to one side rather than sitting square. Each of the five has its own colour and direction; he holds the centre, and the other four keep the four quarters.

The pendant compresses that whole attitude into a square inch: legs crossed, belly forward, one hand raised, the crown and the earrings still present, though at this size they depend on the chasing to hold their shape through the depth of the chasing. The back has been levelled so it does not dig into the skin; the front keeps a raised rim like a small frame, which encloses the figure and gives the reflections an edge to stop at. The belly is the hardest passage. Not enough curve and he looks gaunt; too round and he reads as Maitreya.

The material is white copper, cool in its base tone and nothing like the bright yellow of a thangka. People ask why brass is not used: brass is soft, it will not hold detail, and small figures blur in it; white copper is hard, so the lines stand, and it is more work to cut. Worn over time it oxidises towards grey, which in fact brings it closer to the aged colour of a painting.

Wealth deities are common objects of household veneration in Tibet. Made into a pendant, the point is to carry that familiarity about rather than to carry a small shrine. There is no need to load it with tasks or to treat it as a talisman with a job to do; a relaxed attitude is enough. If someone asks, explaining who this is and what he holds is more interesting than a string of auspicious phrases. A Tibetan household sets the image on a cabinet with seven bowls of water in front of it; as a pendant, all of that simplifies into one object.

Take it off before bathing and dry sweat promptly. White copper dislikes sulphur, so do not leave it against rubber bands or cheap leather cord for long periods — the contact surface will go black. Lay it flat when it is not being worn rather than letting it sit under a chain, since the raised jewel is the easiest thing to dent. If the box has a compartment, use it rather than letting the pendant roll about loose. For grease on the face, warm water with a drop of washing-up liquid and a soft brush; skip toothpaste, whose grit will scratch.