Turkoman (Turkman) Artistry – Afghanistan
A collection of five unique and rather unusual collared double dome silver cup beads with a striking Lapis Lazuli enamelled ring which seals the two cups together and creates two equal sides, now on offer to the most astute beader.
Then, to conceal the joined area around the middle, an open collar is attached with solder and then enamelled with a colour resembling a gemstone - in this case it’s a vibrant blue to epitomise the lapis lazuli semi-precious stone.
These highly sought after handmade Turkoman beads provide lots of potential for creativity for those artisans with a bent for creating ethnic style jewellery.
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 north eastern regions of Afghanistan and Iran.
And there’s no doubt they can be utilised in creating amazing Middle Eastern-inspired statement jewellery pieces including earrings, necklaces, bracelets and anklets.
They are hollow, crude in texture and each bead is individually crafted in the Turkoman style. The beads are often used as currency when trading for goods.
The five beads in this collection weigh in at about 18 grams - have been heavily discounted and now cost $7.00 each.
All our ethnic Turkoman beads contain a decent 2-3mm top-drill hole which is suitable for threading with round leather, tigertail or craftline (similar to fishing line).
The accompanying photos illustrate what to expect in your order. But please be mindful that from time to time there may be some minor variations depending on availability.
Please also bear in mind many of these beads are not new, nor have they been mass produced. They are hand-made, contain imperfections and are aged-worn.