ORIENTAL JEWELRY 04 / Turkmen & Kazakh Jewelry 04.01 Your search result

object foundobjects found

Sorting

The Turkmens are a Turkic ethnic group and, according to old beliefs, originate from one common ancestor – Oguza – who gave...read more

The Turkmens are a Turkic ethnic group and, according to old beliefs, originate from one common ancestor – Oguza – who gave rise to several Turkmen groups. The five major tribes of the Turkmen are the Tekke, Esari, Yomut, Choudur, and Saryk. They live primarily in Turkmenistan, northern Afghanistan, Iran and eastern Turkey. Traditionally the Turkmens led and still lead a nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle based on animal herding. Their simple lifestyle in the desert and steppe area has influenced the development of a rich material culture. Although nominally Sunni Muslim, the Turkmen kept many of their pre-Islamic customs and beliefs. Turkmen jewellery is distinguished by its extensive repertoire of silver ornaments with chunky, geometric forms. These include, among others, traditional sulsuleh forehead ornaments and chckeliki on the temples, elaborate ceremonial bukau neckalces, chunky bilezik bracelets, heart-shaped asyk ornaments and tumar amulets, as well as circular guliakapendants and diamond-shaped changa worn on a daily basis. The decorations form symmetrical arrangements, engraved, openwork and gilded ornaments with strongly stylised vegetal and animal forms, such as ram’s horns. What distinguishes the decoration of Turkmen jewellery is the use of carnelian, a semi-precious stone. Its red colour symbolises vitality, fertility and happiness, and thus, in the hostile desert and steppe landscape, they acquire a particular significance. Traditional jewellery defined the status of women in the local community and provided protection for the entire family.  Karolina Krzywicka: The Andrzej Wawrzyniak Asia and Pacific Museum, Warszawa.

read less