The Tamang live in Nepal, in the valleys of the Himalayas, north of the central Kathmandu Valley. Ear discs such as these, made of pure gold (or also made of brass), are among the rich ornamentation of the Tamang women.
1: The present pair of golden ear discs has been very carefully crafted from gold sheet. In accordance with the traditional shape, an inwardly chamfered gold rim acts as protection for each of the discs and for their elaborate decorations on the front side. This decoration on the flat, inner discs has symbolic meaning: the round shape in the upper section depicts the sun (with a hole for wearing). The large stripes emanating downwards from the ‘sun’ symbolise rays of sunshine. They encircle a crescent moon. On the top of the sun and the upper hole, the ear disc is incised. This is the point where the disc is bent open and inserted in a woman’s earlobe in order to be worn, hanging from the upper hole. On this segment both discs are wrapped with fabric threads in order to prevent injury during wear.
Height: c. 6.5 cm; width: c. 5.8 cm (both gold discs).
2: A Tamang ear-disc made of brass, with very similar decoration.
Height: 8 cm; width: 7.2 cm.
All 3 objects of this mixed lot: First third of the 20th century (ME)

Provenance:
Viennese private collection.