Currency of Turkmenistan 500 Manat banknote 2005 Turkmenbashi, President Saparmurat Niyazov
Central Bank of Turkmenistan - Türkmenistanyň Merkezi Banky
Obverse: Portrait of the late Turkmenistan president Saparmurat Niyazov and his signature (19 February 1940 – 21 December 2006) "Turkmenbashi" 1st President of Turkmenistan who served as the leader of Turkmenistan from 1985 until his death in 2006. At center: The State Emblem of Turkmenistan with realistic image of the horse (Yanardag with white spots on its legs) at center.
Reverse: Antique Turkmen jewelry:
Pair of Armbands,
Dagdan,
Heykel and the
Tumar.
Watermark: A portrait of the former President Saparmurat Niazov "Turkmenbashi" and his signature.
Size: 156 x 78 mm.
Printer: Thomas De La Rue & Company, Limited, England.
Heykel and the Tumar
The heykel and the tumar, both pieces of traditional Turkmen jewelry, can be seen as metaphors for the way Turkmens have intermingled their ancient folk beliefs with Islam. The heykel is a silver or leather bag that old women wear across their chest. The tumar is a silver, generally triangular-shaped ornament that is worn over the breast. Both contain texts from the Koran and are worn as protection from the evil eye. In these instances, the silver and the Koran are used as amulets.
Pair of Armbands
Bracelets and armlets, known as bilezik, were usually worn in pairs and decorated with several rows of semi-precious stones. While commonly worn on special occasions, wealthy women often wear them every day. This pair of bilezik is decorated with three rows of table-cut carnelians and two rows of turquoise beads at each end. The silver is decorated with an embossed and applied design and wire. The ends are bordered by motifs known as snake's head, or yilan bash.
