Karen Hilltribe Jewelry

The Karen Hilltribe is the largest Hilltribe in Thailand.

Skilled as farmers, the Karen people often live in bamboo houses built on stilts. They practice crop rotation and use elephants to clear the land. In the early 1960's, the Karen people developed an alternative to growing their traditional cash crop (opium).

As part of a royal project to build a stable economy based on beauty instead of illicit drug crops, silver experts were dispatched to impart their knowledge of jewelry to the farmers of the Karen Hilltribe.

The first generation of Karen silversmiths were taught to carefully handcraft each design from scratch, using high-content silver (more than .925 sterling). They learned to give each design a unique appearance only seen in their own creations.

Today, each handmade ornament is a unique masterpiece that represents centuries of Karen culture and art. Often, the ornament is engraved with plant, animal, or geometric designs, symbolizing their direct connection to their land and water.

Choosing Karen silver work is much more than buying jewelry of rare distinction. Your purchase also helps preserve the timeless culture, art, religion, and language of the Karen people.

Here is a jewelry piece I created using Karen Hilltribe silver.

Golden Triangle Necklace

Please visit my website at www.14carrotsjewelry.com for more handcrafted artisan jewelry.