Marti Dean

Nazarlık and Çengel Gallery · Collection catalogue

Nazarlık 12

Protective hanging · Anatolia

Full-length view of a black diamond-shaped nazarlık with cowrie-shell motifs, central mirror, glass eye beads and burgundy and black tassels.
Object 12 · Frontal view Select to view full-size photograph

Photographic details

Close-up of the central mirror bordered by cowries and surrounding cowrie-shell floral motifs on black velvet.
Central mirror and cowrie motifs
Close-up of the lower pendant with a cowrie flower, blue and white beads, dark wool tassels and metallic thread bindings.
Lower hanging bands, eye bead and metallic bindings

Catalogue record

Object
12 · Protective hanging influenced by animal-adornment designs.
Dimensions
103 × 45 cm (length × width)
Acquisition
Not recorded in the supplied catalogue entry
Dating
Manufacture date and workshop not established

Materials

  • Fine black velvet over unexamined stiff foundation (possibly cardboard), black cloth backing.
  • Cowries, central mirror, square handmade blue/yellow/white glass eye beads.
  • Plastic beads (blue/white), burgundy wool cords, tassels, metallic gold/silver thread, long multicoloured animal locks.

Construction And Techniques

  • Square head presented as diamond; mirror with radially placed cowries, divided into quadrants by horizontal/vertical shell rows.
  • Four quadrants filled with shell flowers and glass eye beads; double cowrie border and eye beads on far corners.
  • Burgundy suspension cord extends down reverse; multicoloured long hair locks on upper two sides.
  • Alternating burgundy/black tassels on lower sides, attached by plaited wool and blue/white plastic beads.
  • Three joined descending wool bands split into six rounded, multicolour-wrapped cords/tassels; tassel heads stitched together to lie flat.
  • Additional eye-centred shell flower and shorter beaded cords with small black tassels on central hanging band.

Decorative Features And Motifs

  • Mirror-centred radiating floral cowrie pattern; cross-like quarter divisions and shell flowers.
  • Square protective eye beads, coloured locks, alternating tassels and metallic bindings.

Condition And Alterations

  • Cowries show accumulated discolouration; one departure from alternating lower tassel colour sequence.
  • Internal foundation unknown; no definite later alterations confirmed.

Motif Research And Cultural Comparisons

  • Göz boncuğu / nazar boncuğu are Turkish glass eye amulets with well documented protective purpose [1, 2].
  • Resemblance to earlier animal trappings is formal; actual original use is not known.

Provenance And Research Notes

  • Seller called it “old” without geographical attribution.