Turkish POW Beadwork Necklace

Description

Turkish POW Beadwork Necklace.
This item was made by a Turkish prisoner held at a British POW camp during WW1 and is an example of the beadwork made by Ottoman prisoners of war (POW) in British POW camps in Egypt after the Gallipoli campaign in 1915.
Except for fatigue duties, prisoners were generally not required to work. Making craft items, along with playing sport, games or music helped them pass the time. The prisoners also made these items as a way of making some money to buy extra rations and supplies, such as coffee or tobacco; to barter with other prisoners; or as gifts for friends or family.
The Ottoman Empire stretched from the Balkans to the Sinai, and the soldiers in its armies came from throughout the empire, so the maker may not have been ethnically Turkish. While the bulk of these items come from Egypt or Palestine, there were also prison camps in England, Salonika, Cyprus, Mesopotamia, India and France where prisoners made souvenirs.
These seed beads are crocheted overtop of a knotted cotton rope, from which hangs a traditional triangular amulet, also crocheted over a cotton form. It is in perfect condition, with little wear and no missing beads. It is a very fine example of the craft.