Pectoral Ornament (Onirzhiyek)

Description

Author: Folk Master
Embodying the monumental style of the West Kazakhstan jewelry tradition, this traditional pectoral ornament (onirzhiyek) comprises three plates connected by four four-sided braided chains. The rectangular upper and middle sections are each flanked by two spherical side pendants, while the lower pentagonal plate terminates in a point. All three sections feature two oval glass settings with red backing, with the bottom plaque embellished with an additional small, petal-shaped setting. Suspended along its lower edge are five petal-shaped and spherical pendants. The substantial scale of the plaques, their strict vertical alignment, and the rich array of pendants endow the ornament with a sense of solidity and visual completeness. This tripartite structure reflects the ancient nomadic worldview of a three-tiered universe - comprising the upper, middle, and lower worlds united along a central vertical axis - with the cascading chains acting as symbolic connectors between these realms. The red insets served an apotropaic function to ward off evil.