Ethnic Design Collection Reto Zehnder

Amulet containers Ga'us are very popular among the population of the Himalayan region, where everybody needs protection from attacks of evil spirits such as the lu living in the waters of lakes, mountain spirits of the sa'dagh, the Lords of the soils. The word Ga'us simply means case or container for relics. Even if to fulfil a protective function the container doesn't need to be decorative, but it has to contain a magic formula written by a consecrated lama. But if the desire to show wealth takes over, amulet boxes are highly decorative items, made out of silver of varying alloys finely worked and completed with coral or turquoise gems. Whatever the face of the container, the back cover always seems to be made out of brass or copper