Matched Pair of Large Turkoman Pendants

Gorgous pair of Turkman Gonzuk pectoral pendants.  These pendants are work by the Turkman peoples of Central Asia and were likely originally part of a larger flat necklace that was fastened in the middle by the Gonzuk.  Clearly, these two pieces were made by the same silver smith and we think it would be a shame to break them up now, so they are offered as a pair.    

Old Silver Jewellery of the Turkoman, by Dieter and Reinhold Schletzer, includes an extensive discussion of the Gonzuk and notes that they were largely worn by the Teke, Yomud, Norchurli, Guklan, Saryk and Salor peoples.  See page 118. 

This particular pair of Gonzuk feature the traditional light gold wash, known as "fire gilding," original lovely cabachon cut carnelian stones, and silver tassels.  Carnelian stones were believed to protect the wearer from illness and death and the stones on this piece appear original and in very good condition.  The shape of the pendants often invokes the mountains, which surrounded the Turkman people.    

The pendants measure 6.5 inches wide and 4.5 inches tall, not including the tassels, which add an extra 3 inches.  Each pendant weighs approximately 175 grams, or 350 grams total.  Both are in excellent condition, although one piece is missing two tassels.  

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has an excellent history of the Turkman peoples and the role of jewelry in the culture of these Central Asian nomads:

Although nominally Sunni Muslim, the Turkmen kept many of their pre-Islamic customs and beliefs, which were often embodied in the jewelry they made and wore. Turkmen silver jewelry carried deep symbolic meanings and often marked an individual’s passage from one stage of life to another. From a very early age, a woman started wearing jewelry whose shapes and materials were believed to ensure her ability to bear healthy children later in life. The amount of embellishments a girl wore increased as she approached marriageable age. Once she had had her first children, and her fertility had been established, the amount of jewelry she received and wore decreased. In addition, silver jewelry believed to ward off evil and illness was worn by men, women, and especially by children.

Jewelry was a significant financial investment, as it was handcrafted from precious materials. There were cases when, in times of dire need, a woman would part with her jewelry in order to help the survival of the tribe. Significant in size and weight, Turkmen jewelry objects were made of silver, decorated with semi-precious stones, and sometimes gilded for an added color effect and value.

The Met explains that "Pieces of carnelian, a bright red colored stone, are popular because they are believed to protect the wearers from illness and death."