In this delicate necklace design, fine 2mm unpolished pale turquoise faience beads from Afghanistan are combined with fine, faceted silver and gold-plated accent beads and a small silver flower pendant worked in filigree style. Cut and drilled by hand, these beads have a slightly irregular shape.

Faience beads are a glazed non-clay material composed mostly of crushed quartz and small amounts of lime, sodium carbonate or ash. Faience beads were made in ancient times to replace gemstones such as turquoise and lapis-lazuli. The most famous faience beads, called mummy beads, were found in Egyptian tombs. In ancient Egypt, objects created with faience were considered magical, filled with the undying shimmer of the sun, and imbued with the powers of rebirth. Today, particularly Afghanistan, specializes in the production of faience beads.

40cm/15.75 inches