| Thai Hilltribe Silver beads are made by the Karen Hill Tribe people of Thailand. The Karen are the largest tribal group in Thailand, living mostly in small villages in the northern part of the country. The Karen migrated into Thailand from the west beginning in the 18th century and speak their own language. Traditionally they relied on slash and burn agriculture, moving their villages to be near the new fields. This practice is now banned by the Thai government. Opium poppies were also a primary cash crop which the Thai government has worked hard to replace with other cash crops. |
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As part of a royal project begun in the early 1960's their Majesties,the King and Queen of Thailand, sent expert silversmiths to Karen villages to teach the farmers to do silver work. They learned to make beautifully handcrafted silver beads and pendants using hight-content silver. Each family makes a single type of ornament, imparting the designs with centuries of their own culture and art forms.Each generation passes their skills to the next, providing a more stable economy to the Karen people. |
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These beautiful Thai hilltribe silver beads and pendants often reflect nature, as in these dragonflies and butterflies. |
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Pendants in Thai hilltribe silver may be small with stamped designs, or larger and sometimes even organic in form. |
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Shapes of Thai hilltribe silver may be fruits such as these strawberries and peppers. Hearts are also popular. |
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Flowers and Leaves are readily available in Thai hilltribe silver, including the beautiful orchids that grow abundantly in Thailand. |
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Sea life is another prevalent form in Thai hilltribe silver, including a variety of fish and shells in both beads and pendants, as well as turtles and crabs. |
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Spirit locks, such as the one shown to the right, are popular in Thai hilltribe silver as well. These lock shaped pendants are worn around the neck to 'lock' the soul of the patient into his body. |
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The Karen hill tribes make beads and pendants in an vast number of different styles, each one the signature of the family who creates it. |
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The intricacy of the Thai hilltribe silver beads is amazing considering that they are all handmade by people sitting on the floor using a piece of log as a table. |
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Cones and bead caps are available in Thai hilltribe silver in a wide variety of styles and sizes. The cones make great endings for multi-strand necklaces or earrings. |
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| Unfortunately these beautiful handmade Thai hilltribe silver beads are now being imitated by factories in India who are mass producing them with lower silver content and often inferior quality. This practice will eventually undermine the economy of the Karen Hill Tribe people, sending them further into poverty. Buying the genuine article helps these people to maintain their lifestyle without resorting to growing illegal drug crops. |
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