Turkman Silver, Lapis Lazuli. Turkmenistan has a very strong jewellery tradition. The Silver beads in the above earrings are classic Turkmeni. Turkmenistan is directly north of Afghanistan and, relatively speaking, not that far from the ancient Lapis Lazuli mines of north-east Afghanistan, but the terrain between is seriously inhospitable, very rugged and very tribal and Pathan. Consequently, Lapis has not historically much featured in Turkmeni jewellery, the Turkomen smiths preferring reddish-brown Cornelian above all other gemstones.
The small matched Lapis Lazuli beads in the above earrings are of excellent quality, AGrade, of natural deep blue “ultramarine”. Cut by hand in Jaipur Rajasthan, the origin is that same mountainous Pamir region of nth-east Afghanistan.