A SPECTACULAR AND VERY RARE NEPALESE GOLD KUMARI PENDANT Nepal, 18th - 19th century. This grandiose and very rare gold pendant is the main symbol and adornment of the Kumari, young girls revered as living goddesses by some of Nepal's Hindus. The impressive gold body of the pendant is adorned with inlaid turquoises and 13 Naga heads, each holding a small coral pendant in its mouth. A true museum piece exhibiting perfect craftsmanship. Condition: Excellent condition, the gold showing few minor traces of age and wear. Provenance: From the collection of Dr. Istvan Zelnik, Hungary. Dr. Zelnik has built one of the most fascinating and vast collections of South East Asian artworks during the past 4 decades. His collection is considered one of the three most important published collections in the world and he is the director of the Hungarian South and Southeast Asian Research Institute. An official attest by the Hungarian South and Southeast Asian Research Institute signed by Dr. Zelnik can be provided to the high bidder upon request after payment for the object has been made in full. A private owner, acquired from the above several years ago. Weight: 153.8 g. Dimensions: Height 9 cm, Width 14 cm. Metallurgic analysis: Fine gold content 811/1000. The cult of Kumari traces back to the 13th century and is being practiced today. A Kumari is worshipped as the virgin reincarnation of the goddess Taleju, the protector of Nepalese kings. A Kumari is selected every 8 to 10 years, when a special girl at the age of three or four is showing divine signs. After a rigorous selection process, not unlike that used in Tibet to find the Dalai Lama, the girl is dressed in her royal garment and adorned with a divine gold pendant in a sacred ceremony. She is presented to the public in a three-day procession and afterwards lives hidden in her own temple. When her first menstruation begins, it is believed that the goddess vacates her body and a new Kumari must be elected.