The magic of old jewelry

The most ancient jewelry to survive up to modern times was found in burial sites from the Stone Age and is 50 thousand years old. But at that time, jewelry was not only for beauty, but also because people thought that the ornaments protected them against curses and evil powers.

The majority of Kazakh jewelry was intended for women, but men’s jewelry, while not as diverse as women’s, greatly surpassed them in value. For instance, a horse’s tack was called “the wing of a man” by the Kazakhs.

Since ancient times, the people of Asia have solemnly believed in the magic power of rings. Every woman was obliged to wear a ring. The Kazakhs used to say “A ring must be on the finger so that the food will be pure”. Women routinely wore three or four rings. On holidays elderly women wore large name rings.

Different forms and designs on jewelry could allegorically deliver good wishes. A guard ring in the form of a bird beak was given to young men going to war with the wish of a safe return home. Portrayals of birds are often encountered on the adornments of Kazakh people. The bird symbolizes freedom, happiness and kindness for the Kazakhs.

The double ring of a mother-in–law which was worn on two fingers, symbolizes the close relations between two families. The mother of the bride gave this ring to the mother of the groom with the wish of well-being for the new daughter-in-law.

In connection with ancient religious beliefs of people crescent-shaped earrings were popular in the past and they are still popular nowadays. This was also true of the other symbols from space such as the sun and stars.

In western and southern Kazakhstan shekelik( temporal jewelry) were widespread.

A shekelik consists of two suns linked by a chain decorated with little clinking pendants.

Bracelets were also very popular. They were worn on one or on both wrists. Finger-ring sets fastened by chains to the bracelet are called bez bilezik.

Among the adornments there were special ones which were worn on the neck. They are called tumar. The tumar was supposed to play the role of an amulet. A special compartment within the tumar contains pieces of paper with surahs from the Koran, sea and river shells, an owl’s feathers or a camel’s wool.

Sholpa and shashbau are national elements of a woman’s jewelry. It was believed that the sound of the ringing which the silver coins in the sholpa and shashbau made during walking could say a lot about the character and disposition of the girl.

Silver clasps, clothes clips and buttons were decorated with precious stones. Kazakhs called them “eyes”, they were supposed to have magical all-seeing power. Kazakhs handed down silver jewelry from one generation to the next: from mothers and grandmothers – to daughters, granddaughters and daughters-in-law. Even nowadays you can come across a young woman wearing grandmother’s bilezik set of rings connected to a bracelet or silver earrings.