Pyu city-states, 2nd-10th century. The opaque stone of a black tone, finely carved to represent a leopard seated upright with all four paws on the ground, the tail only indicated by fine incision work. Pierced through the sides to allow suspension as a pendant. This piece was personally examined by Burmese American archaeologist and gemologist Terence Tan, a leading expert in Pyu art and Burmese gemstones, and Hungarian gemologist Dr. József Takács. Their analysis finds that the stone is a black agate (onyx) and the talisman is original, ancient, cut by hand with carving, chiseling, boring and grinding. The color is natural. The stone has been cleaned by hand. There are sandy deposits in the recesses of the surface. There are no traces of dye on the surface of the stone. The marks of authentic ancient craftsmanship are clearly visible. The holes are ancient, handmade, irregular, funnel-shaped, with no trace of intervention at a later period. A certificate signed by Dr. Zelnik attesting to the above will be handed to the winning bidder upon request. Provenance: Ex-Collection of The Zelnik István Southeast Asian Gold Museum. Institutional art collection in Belgium, acquired from the above. Condition: Very good condition with minor traces of age and wear. Weight: 60.4 g Dimensions: Height 6.2 cm