Take Two :: Menat Necklace

I don't know what it is about this necklace that makes me want to keep beading more, but it seems to have that effect on me. 

I did a Menat style necklace a few months back, and when I found some gorgeous piccaso blue drops I knew I had to make another one of these necklaces. This Etsy shop is actually in the Czech Republic, and had such a great stash of Czech beads. Weird question. If this shop is in Prague, does that mean that any beads it sells is by definition Czech beads?

A few people asked if I would have my lovely model pose for a picture in the necklace. So without further ado, as requested she is modeling my latest necklace. 

This is a slightly different pattern from the first necklace - it is a bit shorter, and beads up faster. Not a bad thing. However, when I finished the necklace I just didn't like the alternating bead color along the bottom ... it needed more dark blue drops. So I went back through the edging and added more. I like the alternating depth of the edge; it gives it so much more character. 

The other thing I added was a thin grey leather cord along the top. The beads were a little wonky at the top edge, but the leather gives it a nice finished along the neckline. As fancy as this beading is, and could certainly be worn with a simple black dress, I actually prefer this dressed down look tucked in to a denim shirt. It gives it such a nice boho vibe.

Egypt: Menat Necklace

Whenever I visit a museum I always seem to end up for hours staring at the ancient beaded jewelry trying to remember the patterns and colors. Many times they don't allow you to take pictures, so I will sketch and take notes.

The NYC Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of my favorite places where I can spend hours just looking at the Egyptian jewelry exhibit. I have a tendency to get separated from whomever I'm there with as I won't hear them mention that they are moving on to the next room. It happens (almost) ever time I visit.

My favorite pieces always seem to be the beaded collars. I am amazed by the age of the beads, the colors and the extravagance of the patterns. This particular type of wide beaded collar is called a menat. Typically the strings of beads come together in the back with a heavy counterweight (when worn as a necklace) to keep it in place. The counterweight could also be held in the hand to make a rattling noise like the sistrum, an ancient musical instrument, which literally means 'to shake.' Egyptians believed that the noise drove off evil and would defend them against their enemies.

The sistrum and menat date back to the 6th Dynasty as symbols used (mainly by women) in the cult of Hathor. Often the dead would be buried with a menat as it was the symbol for divine protection. For the living, the menat would be held in the hand of a high priestess'  to act as a medium through which the goddess' power was transmitted. Because the queen herself could function as the high priestess of Hathor, royal wives would be seen offering the necklace to their husbands. You see this in King Tut's tomb where his wife and queen, Ankhesenamon, is offering the pharaoh a menat necklace signifying rebirth of the dead.

I have wanted to make a beaded collar like this for quite a long time, but never found the right design. When I stumbled on this pattern I decided to pull out some gorgeous tear drops from Stinky Dog Beads. This collar beaded up quickly and has a nice weight to it. It feels substantial on, and the beads have such a nice sound to them. I didn't include the counterweight in the back, but instead beaded the collar all the way around to button in the back. I think it looks wonderful with a pair of jeans.