JUNE 2022

CULTURE & HISTORY
WORRY BEADS from page 38
and sound that the beads produce together; originality;
and artisanship together with the strength of the
top piece, called the Imame, Shahool, or Minaret.
This is the piece that holds all the others together; it
is the first sign of quality artisanship and charm.
Understandably, worry beads have long been
a staple of desert commerce. Antique amber worry
beads are particularly popular partly because amber
beads were favored by kings and nobility.
Since Arabs associate the beads with idleness, some
prominent figures avoid using them in public. Young
people in general use the beads less than their elders.
Traditional minded individuals use them, but young
leftist intellectuals seem to prefer to smoke cigarettes.
They help pass time, they are part of prayer,
and their use can become a habit to calm nerves or
even to beat an addiction. In the era of iPods, smartphones,
and tablets, you can still find them present
in coffee houses of poor areas or executive offices of
rich neighborhoods.
When you sit down at a cafe or a restaurant, briefly
watch the men as they put down their cellphones,
cigarette packages, lighters and worry beads. You may
appreciate the love and the strong bond men feel for
their Subha, keeping them as close as their phones.
At Chaldean weddings, the old-timers who lead
the traditional Dabkka dance intertwine one hand
and swing a Subha in the other during the rhythmic
dance, encouraging others to strengthen their resolve
and dance.
The number of worry-bead enthusiasts is increasing.
Politicians such as Iraq’s famous Prime Minister
Nouri Al-Saeed enjoyed posing with Tasbihs to connect
with constituents. In Iraq, they can be seen in
the hands of almost all men, from taxi drivers to college
professors to domino players and coffee shop
patrons. They can be seen in movie theaters and at
soccer matches.
Men and their beads
Alas, the small strings of beads that Chaldeans, Iraqis,
Arabs, and Middle Eastern people have long loved
to fidget with are perhaps showing signs of going out
of style - especially in the West.
The beads’ decline has been hastened by special
factors: cultural change, progress, handheld gadgets,
and mobile devices that have taken over, even
among the old. Nonetheless, shops remain impressively
draped with worry beads, which come in as
many varieties as the perfumes of Arabia.
The Subha remains as one of the complements of
Iraqi men, an expression of prestige and social status.
High-end and valuable types are used by the elders
and influential people, and this type of bead reflects
an expression of their social status and wealth.
Despite growing female interest in Tasbihs, they
are still almost exclusively in the male domain. The
artisans, designers, salespeople, and customers are
almost all men. It is even seen as a sign of strong masculinity
in different parts of the world.
It is unfortunate that many of the rare collections
were sold outside Iraq, either due to the owner’s ignorance
of their value or out of necessity during the
years of sanctions.
Clockwise from top left: Subha parts and names
in Arabic; Our Lady of Tears white glass rosary
beads; Subha and stones; Cultural fashion and
adornment on display.
Material
The traditional materials used to make worry beads
continue to be used. The craftsmanship is exquisite,
and its craft requires skill, know-how, and refined
taste.
Subha beads are most often made of round or
oval shaped glass, wood, plastic, amber, pearls, or
gemstones. The origins of prayer bead material fall
into four broad categories: precious stones, different
types of wood, animal products, and fossils. The
harder the material of the bead, or the rarer it is, the
more intricate artisanship will be involved, increasing
the value. Snakewood, olive, sandalwood, palm,
tamarind, apple, and walnut trees are commonly
used.
The cord is usually cotton, nylon, or silk. There
are a wide variety of colors and styles on the market,
ranging from cheap mass-produced prayer beads to
those that are made with expensive materials and
high-quality workmanship.
Most generic products use a silver bead for the
Imame, but the precious ones use the same material
as the beads. The last category is the simplicity factor.
Intriguingly, the most precious Tasbihs are the least
eye-catching ones. As one Tasbih lover explained, “it
is not jewelry to show off, but a companion.”
Amber is considered the queen of Misbaha. Today,
it’s difficult to find genuine beads. You must be
very experienced to distinguish fake from genuine.
Real amber, when rubbed between the thumb and
forefinger, will give off the smell of pine-tree resin.
Some sellers provide certificates of authenticity for
amber beads.
A rosary made with pearls is one of the most expensive,
made of precious pearls extracted from Bahrain
or the Arabian Gulf. There are some types that are
less expensive - such as some made in Japan for example
– with pearls that are artificial and not natural.
There are health benefits attributed to the different
materials used. For example, Kuka, a tropical
fruit pit harder than coconut, was known as the Tasbih
of medical doctors during the Ottoman era. The
Kuka pits are known to act as a natural disinfectant,
while releasing a pleasant scent when rolled between
fingers. Several other tree-based beads are valued for
their special scents. Their color also darkens over
time, like leather, increasing their worth.
Bagh Tasbihs made from the shells of the threatened
Caretta turtle are extremely precious, like those
from elephant tusks. Other precious stones used
include agate, dalmatian stone, and if you have the
funds, diamonds. The fanciest of diamonds or the
simplest of stones, it does not matter. There is a philosophy
behind worry beads: “Whoever owns worry
beads, it is a sign that they are a worry-free man.”
References: Wikipedia, Gardenia site, The Monitor,
NYT archives, article by Pinar Tremblay, and Zaineb
Al Hassani at The National. Special editing by
Jaqueline Raxter.
40 CHALDEAN NEWS JUNE 2022