Lebanon, Kinship Stories, Precious Beads

Around 30 cms to the end of the tassels

Name: Precious Beads

Collection: Celebrating Art and Supporting Artisanship

Cultures: Italy, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Vietnam, India, Tibet and Egypt. 

This handmade tribal art necklace comprises a variety of cultures and carries, between its beads & threads, historical evidence of a world on the verge of extinction.

The base of this necklace is made with vintage handwoven fabric from a young girl’s dress in Afghanistan. It is over 50 years old.  It comes accompanied with a variety of beads. 

The blue beads, scattered at the top, are made with hand-carved glass from Egypt. A large bead on the left side stands out. It comes from a Buddhist rosary from Tibet.

The rectangular orange beads, also on both sides of the necklace, are made with coral from Vietnam. Coral comes from marine reefs. Prized since antiquity for its color and natural beauty, coral has traditionally been considered a mysterious, powerful and sacred gem -perhaps because it originates from a living organism. 

The striped beads on the right side are made with agate from India. Well known for the stripes that ornate it, agate belongs to the quartz family of minerals. One of the oldest stones in recorded history, agate is prized for its ability to protect and fight stress.

The Yemeni metal beads are around 60 to 80 years old and they come from a larger bridal necklace. Today, these beads are increasingly rare to find, as they belong to a world that disappeared with the latest wars in the region.

The red and dark-blue seed beads, which go on both sides of the necklace at the bottom, are traditionally hand-sewn in Afghanistan. The tassels at their end are Uzbek. They are around 60-80 years old and they once adorned the borders of someone’s tapestry.

Last but not least are handmade Venetian glass beads. Making up the majority of the necklace, such beads involve production in large furnaces, first introduced by the Romans, and feature melted glass that forms beautiful patterns of colors –just like they did during the Roman Empire.  

This necklace is entirely handmade and a one-of-a-kind piece. It carries the stories and memories of local cultures slowly disappearing in today's global world. Just like you, the person wearing it today, it signifies the beauty of staying true to oneself while embracing other cultures.