OLD BURMESE AMBER EAR PLUGS (PATLOKAN) – PAIR – KACHIN STATE, MYANMAR – POSSIBLY 19TH CENTURY OR EARLIER
THIS RARE PAIR OF TRADITIONAL BURMESE AMBER EAR PLUGS, KNOWN AS PATLOKAN, IS ATTRIBUTED TO HIGHLAND TRIBAL CULTURES OF KACHIN STATE, MYANMAR, HKA-HKU / KACHIN GROUPS. THE ELONGATED, TAPERED FORM IS DESIGNED FOR STRETCHED EARLOBES, WITH THE POINTED END WORN FACING FORWARD, AS DOCUMENTED IN REGIONAL ADORNMENT PRACTICES.
THESE EXAMPLES ARE NOTABLE FOR THEIR UNUSUAL SMALL FORMAT, MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 60 MM IN LENGTH, CONSIDERABLY SHORTER THAN THE MORE COMMON OVERSIZED PATLOKAS, MAKING THEM SCARCE AND HIGHLY DESIRABLE TO COLLECTORS. THE MATERIAL APPEARS TO BE AMBER, MOST LIKELY BURMESE AMBER (BURMITE), DISPLAYING A DEEP, RICH COLOR WITH NATURAL INCLUSIONS AND SURFACE WEAR CONSISTENT WITH AGE AND PROLONGED USE. MATERIAL HAS NOT BEEN SCIENTIFICALLY TESTED, ONLY LIGHTER TESTED.
SMALL DRILLED HOLES AT THE REAR ENDS INDICATE PRACTICAL USE, LIKELY FOR COTTON STRING OR SECURING CORD, FURTHER CONFIRMING FUNCTIONAL WEAR RATHER THAN DECORATIVE PRODUCTION.
ORIGIN: KACHIN STATE, MYANMAR (BURMA)
CULTURE: KACHIN / HIGHLAND TRIBAL GROUPS (ATTRIBUTED)
PERIOD: POSSIBLY 19TH CENTURY OR EARLIER
MATERIAL: AMBER, LIKELY BURMESE (BURMITE), ONLY LIGHTER TESTED
WEIGHT (PAIR): 13.36 GRAMS
MEASUREMENTS: 60 MM (L) × 14 MM (W)
EARLOBE HOLE COMPATIBILITY: APPROX. 14 MM
CONDITION: USED, VERY GOOD FOR ITS AGE, FULLY INTACT, WEARABLE, AND COLLECTIBLE
SALE IS FOR THE MATCHING PAIR ONLY
AN AUTHENTIC AND UNCOMMON EXAMPLE OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN TRIBAL BODY ADORNMENT, SUITABLE FOR SERIOUS COLLECTORS, MUSEUM-LEVEL REFERENCE, OR WEAR BY EXPERIENCED STRETCHED-LOBE JEWELRY ENTHUSIASTS.
REFERENCE:
*- THE VANISHING TRIBES OF BURMA - PAGE: 20 - RICHARD K. DIRAN - AMPHOTO ART AND IMPRINT OF WATSON - GUPTILL - PUBLICATIONS / NEW YORK
*- A WORLD OF EARRINGS AFRICA – ASIA – AMERICA – PAGE: 240 - BY ANN VAN CUTSEM – SKIRA
*- THE JEWELRY OF SOUTHEAST ASIA - PAGE: 30 - IMAGE#: 156 - ANNE RICHTER - THAMES & HUDSON
