The History of the Komboloi
In the course of history, man has created all kinds of garlands; for the decoration of the head, the neck, of the arms, wrists, waist and legs.
Almost every religion has created a prayer garland to assist believers complete a specific number of prayers without counting.
During the period of Ottoman Empire, Turkish officers took their prayer chaplets and turned them into a show of welfare accessory. They used silver, gold and silk to decorate their garlands with large amber beads. They were holding and playing with these garlands to relax their nerves and their body.
Eventually, such garlands functioned as symbols of power and wealth. The Greek associates of the Turks imitated this habit.
It has been established since then and until today we – the Greeks – create and hold such worry or conversation beads in our hands. They are often masterfully crafted, with beautiful details that make them look like greek jewelry.
The Versatility of the Komboloi
Apart from its rich history and tradition, komboloi can serve also as:
– a way of giving up bad habits, such as smoking, nervousness, comfort eating, or biting our nails;
– a jewel, when it is strung with valuable beads made of amber, semi-precious stones or precious metals;
– a remedy, when it is made of semiprecious stones, which radiate a health-enhancing energy;
– a piece of art, when it is designed with high standards of aesthetics
– a collector’s item, as it can be rare, beautiful, and precious;
– a symbol of strength, power, when it is artistic and precious;
– an amulet, when it contains symbols of our beliefs and good luck;
– a psychotherapist, because the massage to our fingers can relax our neural system;
– a home decorative for our furniture, table and walls;
– a joy for our senses, with its purling beads, silken touch, vibrant colours, and the magical scent of amber and aromatic wood;
– our personal trainer, because we can use it to train our fingers’ skills.
– a heirloom piece, redolent of our forebears’ lives and the tales they told, and bearing the story of our own lives forward to generations to come;
– a medium between man and God, because it can be used as a rosary to count prayers- a symbol of wealth; it points out that we have plenty of free time;
– a reflection of our personality, as it reflects our ego, in the same way as our car or our house does.
Our kombolois are handmade of uniquely crafted materials with painstaking care. They are precious collectible pieces that reflect the tradition of the Greek worry beads, and they symbolize meaningful greek gifts.
They are accompanied by an informative booklet and a written guarantee certificate.
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