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

A conch shell waistcoat, made up of four pieces of carved conch shell, each approx 75mm square. The centre of each marked with a small brass button (one replaced with a piece of shell), joined together with thread and string. One conch shell chest ornament.

The material is owned by Meme Lhundup Tstean and has been obtained from sources apart from his family. All the materials in the archive are kept within the prayer room of the house. This was not seen: materials were brought out into the living room to be surveyed and documented.