A collection of 15 chunky handmade base metal beads with fancy brass wire whipped circles and teardrop frames into which coloured enamel resembling lapis lazuli (resembling semi-precious gemstones) has been poured - is distinctly Middle Eastern.
Tribal and ethnic in every sense, these handmade beads have been crafted by the nomadic Turkoman people – an ethnic group native to Central Asia and living mainly in Turkmenistan and the northeastern regions of Afghanistan and Iran.
And there’s no question they can be used to create amazing ethnic-inspired statement jewellery items such as earrings, necklaces, bracelets or an anklet.
They are hollow, crude in texture and each bead is individually hand-made in the Turkoman style.
The beads are often used as currency when trading for goods.
In this collection, the 14 beads weigh in at about 60 grams and cost $4.00 each.
All our ethnic Turkoman beads contain a decent 3-4mm top-drill hole which is suitable for threading with round leather, Tigertail or craftline (similar to fishing line).
Bear in mind these beads are not mass produced; they have been hand-made, contain some imperfections and are age-worn.
What’s so remarkable and unique about these beads is that the Turkoman artisans of today have crafted them by using the same traditional tools and by adopting similar methods as their ancestors have done for centuries.
And please note, the accompanying images may have been enlarged to show detail, while colours of the stones may vary slightly due to lighting variants.