A SAMON VALLEY CARNELIAN TALISMANBurma / Myanmar, Samon Valley Culture, 800 BC-200 AD. The translucent pale orange stone with darker shadings and inclusions, finely carved to represent a crouching monkey with distinctive globular eyes and floppy ears, the hands resting on the knees. Pierced vertically to allow suspension as a pendant, the drilling showing ancient toolmarks. Condition: Good condition commensurate with age. Natural imperfections to the stone. Provenance: The collection of The Zelnik István Southeast Asian Gold Museum. Institutional art collection in Belgium, acquired from the above. Dr. István Zelnik, President of the Hungarian South and Southeast Asian Research Institute, is a former high-ranking Hungarian diplomat who spent several decades in Southeast Asia, building the largest known private collection of Asian art in Europe. Weight: 11.6 g Dimensions: Height 4.5 cm