Brass and clay Thai Kunpan amuletThai Amulet Necklace
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One on-line vendor offers amulets like this which it calls "Thai Buddhist Amulets." The Thai woman who sold me this one said the person represented is Kunpan (click on the thumbnail above to see what she wrote out for me). Googling Kunpan (or Khun Pean) you can find the name written in Thai like this: ขุนแผน which looks exactly like her script so I believe I have correctly connected the amulet to the Thai story. Apparently there was a movie called Kunpan, based on classical Thai literature, which is a "magical, tragic love story based on the life and times of the strong warrior Kunpan." There are also Thai sites which offer blessed amulets with this same figure (replete with mysterious photos of inexplicable lights associated with the master conducting the ceremonies). One says "Khun Pean is an extreme version, the respectable amulets of charm and good fortune." Well, OK, we sort of get that, but why is a warlord associated with Buddhism and shown meditating? There is a possible explanation here. The discussion mentions good luck, etc., but nothing about spiritual warriorhood which would seem to be an obvious connection. For whatever reason, this little brass and clay amulet spoke to me. It is cleverly made to look like an ancient piece so I made a necklace with an ethnic feel. The abalone beads seemed perfect not only because of their color and irregular shapes but also because of the inner beauty they display-- their iridescent light glimmers subtly but is not fully revealed without looking within.
The centerpiece agate is another curiosity. The vendor said it was an "old Tibetan bead" but I would never believe most people who claim to offer old Tibetan material. Fake dzi beads for example have even fooled experts who have examined them microscopically. I've also bought agates which were stated to be copies of ancient agate beads (I used one in my Titi Monkey Necklace for example), and I think that's what this bead is as well. It has a wonderful shape and beautiful matte finish which seemed made for this composition.
The barely blue kyanite reflects the antiqued blue in the amulet. Simmons says blue kyanite opens the psychic channels. Melody mentions that it never needs clearing and that it facilitates meditation. Normally I would only use the richly colored blue kyanite but this necklace needed materials which looked aged and worn. I do hope you like the result, and that Khun Paen will bring you good fortune.
