BALKAN CHILD’S FERTILITY BRACELET

This is a rare variation of the fertility bracelets worn throughout the Balkans, Bulgaria, Albania, and Greece. The usual type which is well represented on the internet is bulky and banded with hemispheres at the sides. It is said that they were worn by single women until married and having given birth. This example is 18^th-19^th century and would fit a young girl, perhaps 8-10 years of age and probably was given in conjunction with a child’s betrothal in the Muslim tradition. It is bronze, about 1 1/2” inside dimension and has been professionally refurbished with the 24karat gold surface restored.