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These 50 high-quality ceramic beads were hand-made and hand-painted by expert Peruvian crafts people. The clay was shaped and fired, painted and glazed, then fired a second time for a true ceramic hardness. The lot includes ten each of five different models, all featuring an eye as protection against the evil eye, the belief that some people can do harm simply by looking at you. The belief is not indigenous to Peru, but comes Turkey and Greece.

As with all Peruvian ceramics, the painting is done with mineral-based pigments, not artificial dyes. In this case, it is cobalt that produces the deep, royal blue color. Cobalt is said to stimulate the use of the "third eye" and to be generally protective, and its use here thus augments the effect of the eye image in warding off the evil eye.

There are two 17-18 mm tubes, one in turquoise and the other in cobalt blue; one 15 mm barrel, in cobalt; and two 9 mm rounds, in turquoise and white. The holes run vertically in relation to the designs and are 2-3 mm in diameter.

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