Conch shell chest ornament: Tonka (Wylie thong ga) ཐོང་ག Late 19th century

A conch shell waistcoat, usually made up of four pieces of carved conch shell, this item has only two pieces in place, each approx 75mm square. One conch shell chest ornament.

The material is owned by Meme Sonam Palden and has been handed down from father to son through several generations of head Buchen. All the materials in the archive are kept within the prayer room of a modern house.