Aiyana is an East African name that means “flower blossom”. The focal element in this Aiyana Necklace is an antique double cone silver bead from Oman. It displays the rich array of silversmith techniques from this area. This includes embossed wirework to create intricate filigree patterns and hammered silver sheet to form ornate designs.
Beautiful blue recycled glass beads in the shape of flower bells cascade into the Omani bead. They drape out in the form of a tassel to create a playful feminine flair. These beads are made in Krobo, in the eastern region of Ghana, using a method that has been implemented for centuries. It involves baking fragments of recycled glass in moulds that are lined with a mixture of kaolin and water. The kiln in which they are fired is made from termite mound clay. It is heated using crushed palm kernels, which burn at a very high temperature.
The hole for the bead is made using a cassava plant stem that burns up during firing, leaving a hole, or by using a small metal tool. Once cooled, they are washed using sand and water, then rubbed against a stone to polish them. Krobo glass beads have been used in ceremonies of birth, coming of age, marriage, and death for over 400 years in West Africa.
Ethiopian silver beads add lustre and are used to separate the glass beads at intervals. This This Aiyana Necklace combines elements from the Middle East and West Africa to create a culturally rich statement for the worldly woman.
