Description
A very long elaborate silver bridal necklace, 79cm from top to bottom, consisting of various silver segments placed symmetrically on on either side of central yoke shaped piece that goes around neck of bride and ends in a crescent shaped silver piece at bottom end of necklace.

The yoke piece is 13cm wide, 2cm high and is hollow, pattern stamped repousse work. On either side are three woven tubes made of silver rope, somewhat square showing five braids, each tube being 8cm to 9cm long. The lower end of these three tubes is attached to a rectangular piece, center front shows a floral in a square and four curved corners extending out over center square,curving inward.

Rectangle measures 9cm x 6.5cm. The back of this piece is stamped with a simple design. The lower end of this rectangle shows a repeat of woven tubular shapes, 3 each, 5.5cm long. Also attached at this point on the outside of the necklace is a hollow crescent shape stamped with dots and rope design.

Suspended from the crescent shape are ten silver cones dangling free. This second set of woven tubes is followed by a repeat of rectangular hollow shape as described above, except central pattern is a semi-globe. This is followed by a third set of woven tubes, three each, 6cm long.

On the outside of top attachment is placed a hollow rectangular lock shape with two pronounced shoulders and ten silver cones dangling free. There is a bell attached along with rectangular shape. The next section is the third repeat of large hollow rectangle 9cm x 65.5cm, identical to first shape showing floral design in center.

The fourth set of three woven tubes is 6cm long, attached is a bell and a hollow silver silver piece shaped like an oval with a neck in center. Suspended are ten cones hanging free.

This set of woven tubes connects to the large crescent which forms the bottom segment of the necklace. This large crescent is hollow, decorations are suns, moons and birds, identical decoration on front and back of piece. It is 23cm across and 8.5cm at its widest.

On either side of crescent there is a hollow disc with a floral design on one side and geometric on the other with ten cones hanging free. Suspended from large crescent is a bell, seventeen cones on the left side and fifteen on the right, hanging free.

Use:
Worn as a necklace by a bride during her wedding. These can be up to a meter long and weigh as much as three kilograms.
See:
"Mountain Patterns" by Stevan Harrell, Bamo Qubumo, and Ma Erzi. 2000. Fig 5.8 pg 40. For example.