Antique Balkan Ottoman Silver and Blue Beads Choker Necklace

A great folk necklace from the Balkan area under Ottoman rule. This type of necklace called kirdan or gerdanlik was worn across North Africa, across to Western Asia and in Eastern Europe.  Made with low grade silver, the necklace is composed of three tiers. The first is a repousse element that some say are stylized fish or grain, to symbolize fertility and plenty consecutively. There are blue glass beads interspersed between the top tier elements. The second tier is a flower like filigree element with a small blue bead in the middle looking like an eye to protect the wearer from the evil eyes. The last tier is a series of small silver disc dangles that appear to have been gold gilt at some point but now the gold is all but gone. 
The closure is made up of a hook and small eye.

There is a minor depression to one of the repousse elements and it has definitely been restrung at some point because one of the glass beads at the end is not attached on both ends and some of the repousse elongated elements towards the back have been strung upside down.

• Length is 37 cm ( 14 1/2")
• Width of the top tier is 3.5 cm (1 1/4")
• Depth is 5.5 cm (2 1/4")
• Weight: is around 45 g