The history of jeweller's art in Turkmenistan started thousands of years ago. The steadfast traditions, artistic style, jewellery manufacturing technique handed down from generation to generation have been established and developed since Early Bronze Age (V millennium B.C.). This process is everlasting and continues nowadays. Though, this rich history has a little-known page which has not been read through yet.

At all times jewellery was made of the rare, very expensive materials: precious metals, semi-precious stones and gemstones. A larger majority of them are women's jewellery or horse’s trappings. Very often jewelry is an affecting part of the costume. Jewellers never use copper, iron and other less valuable metals.

During the archeological excavations the quite fanciful bronze articles which have not been scientifically interpreted till now are found almost everywhere in Turkmenistan. These little-studied artefcats about 5 cm in size is drop-shaped sometimes with a hole in the middle and have the eye for the lace, i.e. are intended to be worn on the chest.

Most of them are decorated with the gorgeous fine ornament and in very rare cases the Arabic letters that place them among the works of fine jeweller's art developed in the classical style of the epoch of Turkmen Seljuk (XI-early XIII cc.).

Obviously, they were made by artistic casting the secrets of which, judging by the results, knew only the outstanding masters. What is it? A decoration or thing with the magical sense? Some scientists assume that they are the bronze amulet pendants which protect its owner from the evil and misfortune according the superstitious beliefs

It is a very interesting fact that these 'amulets' are found in abundance not amongst the ruins of the ancient cities but in their suburbs, i.e. on possible battlefields. At that time the war was the permanent condition of the Great Turkmen Seljuk Empire: Toghrul bek’s brilliant victories over the Ghaznavids in 1038-1040, Alp Arslan’s triumphal military campaign (1063-1072), the unceasing fighting with the bellicose neighbours under the reign of Melik Shakh (1072-1092), the repulse of the nomads’ attacks under the reign of Sultan Sanjar (1118-1157). All these and less remarkable conflicts forced the Seljuk to maintain the huge manoeuvrable army in the state.

Another peculiarity of our ‘amulets’ draws attention: it is impossible to find two identical among hundreds of articles that testifies to pure individuality and the use of them not as standard jewellery but as personal talismans. All these peculiarities including the sites where they were found allow assuming that they are military talismans. When riding the fervent horse into the bloody hell of a battle Sultan’s soldiers believed that this small piece of metal parry the enemy’s lethal sword and grant a long-awaited victory. Looking at this amulet which got tarnished with the time one recollects Pushkin’s lines “In trouble of a flame of battle, My talisman, pray, be my guard.”