Silver brooch used to decorate headress. Donor visited Ladakh several times between 1979 and 1986. "The woman from whom I bought the headdress was getting a new, bigger and more expensive one and was very happy to sell me her old one. The sale was dependent upon her keeping the big center turquoise headstone because that was a family heirloom; so a headstone is missing from mine."
Perak is a bridal headress decorated with blue turquoise, coral, shells and other precious stones. Perak sits ontop a bride's head and expands outwards on both sides, and runs from the bride's forehead till the lower back. Two black flaps attach to the headress which traditionally are made from black animal hair and yak felt. Perak is a prized possession, and is passed from mother to daughter.
