Gems with their own meaning

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Gems with their own meaning

The origins of jewelry in Uzbekistan are lost in the depths of millennia. In the 19th century, the largest centers of this craft were Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, Karshi, and Kokand.

Each center had its own shapes and decorations. The most widespread metal was silver, less often – bronze and copper. Decorations were evidence of the age and social status of the owner, endowed with various magical properties and considered amulets.

Silver was associated with magic. People believed that it drove away evil spirits and neutralized poisons. The precious stones were also given magical meanings. Carnelian, according to legend, brought happiness and health, protected from danger. Its widespread use is a common Eastern, common Muslim tradition. “Whoever wears a carnelian in a ring is incessantly in prosperity and joy”, is a saying attributed to the Prophet Muhammad. Carnelian – haqik – means “truth.” Whoever wears this stone cannot lie and deceive. Turquoise is one of the favorite stones in jewelry. Round ball-shaped inserts made of turquoise emphasize the relief of the jewelry, and the greenishblue color gives them a special elegance. People believed that if one looked at turquoise for a long time, one’s eyesight improves and a person got in a good mood. The poet Nizami in one of his works noted: “Turquoise means blue – it brings happiness to our house with it.” But the main thing – turquoise – piruz – victory – brings good luck in battle.

You can learn more about the topic in the book-album "The Collection of the State Museum of Applied Art and Handicraft’s History of Uzbekistan" (XXXIX volume) from the series "The Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan".

The main sponsor of the project is the oilfield services company Eriell-Group.
 

Gems with their own meaning