Turkoman jewellery is one of the most distinctive and easily recognisable styles of traditional jewellery. It was worn by the nomadic tribes of Central Asia, in the present region of Turkmenistan and parts of northern Iran and Afghanistan. Although individual pieces rarely date from any earlier than the 19th century, many of the designs and symbols used are much older, often pre-Islamic in origin.

This head ornament was worn wrapped around the forehead, often attached to a cloth cap, with ear pendants hanging down at each side of the face. It was called a ‘yagluk’ when it was acquired by the museum. Today this kind of ornament is more commonly known as a ‘sinsile’, and the name ‘yaglik’ is now restricted to the veil which covers the wearer’s face. The curved projections above the three largest cornelians represent stylised ram’s horns, a symbol of great importance to the Turkoman.

It was acquired in Turkestan in 1884-5, during an Anglo-Russian conference to define the north-west frontier of Afghanistan, and was given to the Museum in 1900.