Multi-Strand Red Bead Necklace with Carved Bone Cylinders

• Multi-strand layered drape
• Hand-carved bone cylinders on both sides
• Button-and-loop closure

Each bone section is hand-carved and each strand hand-strung, so small variations in bead tone, bone color and carving detail are normal from one piece to the next.

The elephant motif is a common figure in South Asian ornament, worked here in low relief along a cylinder of bone — repeated figures cut around the curve, darkened detail against pale ground. The two crafts behind the piece, bead stringing and bone carving, are distinct hand skills that meet at the point where the strands join the anchor.

The multi-strand seed-bead necklace has a long history across the Indian subcontinent, where dozens of fine strands are gathered around a carved or metal focal element to build volume and movement without heavy metalwork. The dense red beadwork lets the carved sections read as the clear focal point rather than compete with them.

A stringer threads the seed beads onto individual cords one strand at a time, keeping tension even so the drape falls cleanly. Separately, a bone carver hollows and shapes the cylinder and cuts the figures into its surface. The two elements are joined at the end, the strands gathered into the carved sections before the closure is attached.

• Technique: Multi-strand seed bead necklace with hand-carved bone

Wipe clean with a soft, dry cloth and store separately in a soft pouch, away from water, perfume and other chemicals.