A PAIR OF TURKMEN TEKKE TRIBE CARNELIAN-SET PARCEL-GILT SILVER CUFF BRACELETS (BILEZIK)
Southern Turkmenistan, Central Asia, first half 20th century

Of typical compressed cylindrical shape with an-inward curved profile, double-walled, with seven arrow-shaped claws on each side of the reverse, the front parcel-gilt, engraved with stylised vegetal motifs and outlined with twisted-rope wires, enhanced with three tiers of three carnelian beads each mounted in almond-shaped settings.

Each 5cm x 8.5cm x 5.5cm

Total 512gr. (256gr. each)

An almost identical pair of double-walled, carnelian-set, parcel-gilt silver bilezik from Turkmenistan is published in René van der Star, Ethnic Jewellery from Africa, Asia and Pacific Islands, 2008, p. 102. This selection featured in this publication shows how the form and style of these bracelets were standardised; what varied was the number of tiers present on each pair of bracelets, usually from a minimum of three up until ten or twelve, synonyms of wealth and revered social status.

For further reference: Hermann Rudolph, Der Turkmenenschmuck: Sammlung Kurt Gull, 1985, p. 248; and Johannes Kalter, Aus Steppe und Oase: Bilder turkestanischer Kulturen, 1983, p. 127.