An antique, 19th Century or earlier depicting 5 Nagas or serpents of different colours, writhing about to form an endless knot. These nagas are important in the iconography of wrathful Heruka deities such as Vajrapani, Vajrakila, Heyegriva and Garuda, and are worn as ornaments - they symbolise the rejection or destruction of anger and the turning away of enemies of the Dharma. Nagas are the underworld guardians of treasures and concealed teachings. The Prajnaparimita Sutra (the Sutra on the Perfection of Wisdom) was entrusted to the guardianship of the Nagas by the Shakyamuni Buddha. Two lines of text, 1 effaced lama's thumbprint in vermilion.