Kuchi Choker - Vintage Tribal Choker Necklace - Belly Dance

Vintage Kuchi choker with stamped dangles, large colorful jewels, beading and yarn poms.  These tribal chokers have been worn for centuries by nomadic peoples and were incorporated into the original tribal belly dance costuming set.  Large, chunky, colorful and very tribal, the Kuchi choker can be adorned with glass jewels, jingling bells, shining coins, beads, poms and more. This one is no exception and has lots of tribal detail and color!

The story of Kuchi jewelry, like all tribal jewelry, is rich with influences from many cultures. These beautiful pieces with colorful glass jewels and jingling bells originally came from the nomadic Pashtoon tribes that wandered the border areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan, along ancient routes between the seasons, moving down from the mountains in the winter and back to higher elevations in the summer. The word Kuchi itself is derived from a Persian word meaning migration, in relation to nomads, and does not describe a particular group or people, but rather a state of being.

Item No.: JNK0195
Length:  10 inches end to end, not including ties
Pendants Length:  About 4.25 inches
Width:  Choker band is about 1.5 inches wide
Materials:  Mixed metals, coin metal, glass jewels and beads, yarn poms
Finish:  Unpolished, a bit tarnished
Metal Color:  Silvery to Slightly Brassy
Jewel Colors:  Red, blue, green, some small jewels are pink.
Closure:  Cord Ties, can be tied longer or shorter depending on need.
Backing:  Fabric
Additional Info: Colorful jewels and yarn poms, glass jewels and a bit of beading along the top edge. 
Country of Origin: Afghanistan/Pakistan
Condition: Vintage

Please check photos carefully for condition. You will receive the exact piece(s) shown in the photos on this page. This is a USED piece that has been previously worn in country. As a previously used tribal item it may have small flaws such as loose or missing jewels, missing bells, obvious repairs, may be tarnished or worn, or have other small flaws.

A NOTE ON THE CONDITION OF TRIBAL ITEMS: Our jewelry is used tribal jewelry, from faraway lands. As used pieces the condition of our items will reflect their prior lives as treasured tribal pieces. Please know that we strive to maintain the tribal allure of our items and therefore we do not clean or repair these pieces in any way. We leave that choice to the buyer, as each may prefer something different. This not only maintains the old, tribal look of each piece that our belly dance customers seek, but also preserves the value of a piece that cleaning might diminish.

We do our best to describe any flaws that may be present in our items, and we encourage you to read the full description and look at all photos closely to judge the condition of the item for yourself and know exactly what you are ordering. If you have questions about the condition of any item, please ask!