Marti Dean

Nazarlık and Çengel Gallery · Collection catalogue

Nazarlık 05

Protective hanging · Anatolia

Full view of a circular, concentric cowrie-shell hanging with long narrow burgundy and navy textile bands and frayed ends.
Object 05 · Frontal view Select to view full-size photograph

Photographic details

Close-up of cowrie shells and dark and red glass beads arranged in concentric bands on the circular head.
Circular head · Concentric cowrie and beadwork
Reverse of circular textile hanging showing burgundy woven suspension bands, faded cloth, wool mounts and repair stitching.
Reverse · Textile mounts and visible stitching

Catalogue record

Object
05 · Protective animal adornment, probably for a camel.
Dimensions
159 × 29 cm (length × head width)
Acquisition
Heinz Johannik collection; acquired in 2026.
Dating
Late 19th–early 20th century, attributed by Johannik.

Materials

  • Very thick felt head with faded red fabric and dark edging.
  • Five navy/burgundy braided wool bands, tassels and wool suspension cord.
  • Cowries, irregular handmade lampwork glass beads, red dyed animal-hair tufts, raw wool and a turned wooden bead.

Construction And Techniques

  • Concentric cowrie bands increasing in shell size outwards; glass bead strings stitched between them.
  • Four red animal-hair tufts are bound into textile mounts sewn to reverse; additional raw wool and tassel-like tufts.
  • Five bands (c. 2.25 cm wide) attached beneath beige cowrie-trimmed fabric; alternating blue/burgundy arrangement.
  • Red bindings at c. 28 cm and 61 cm decorated on both sides with cowries; paired c. 15 cm cord extensions and tassels at transitions; traces of further paired lower cords.

Decorative Features And Motifs

  • Cowrie-and-bead rosette, predominantly red/navy/burgundy.
  • Repeated paired cowries on red cloth at intersections; dyed red hair and wool tassels.

Condition And Alterations

  • Central paired punctures and wear suggest a missing fitting, perhaps a mirror (unconfirmed).
  • Missing cowries especially at upper junction; lower binding abraded while cloth protected beneath shells retains red colour.
  • Wear may reflect contact with the animal or associated equipment, though cause cannot be established.

Motif Research And Cultural Comparisons

  • Cowries are documented as protective objects in Anatolian practice; radial arrangement is described rather than given an unverified motif name [2].

Provenance And Research Notes

  • Wear beneath the cowries is particularly useful evidence for a future close-up photograph.