Komboloi, a great companion!, a photo from Attiki, Attica

Photographer's Note

A "komboloi". The "evolution" of the Catholic Rosario, the Orthodox "komboskoini", the Islamic "Tesbih". Not counting prayers, just "counting" thoughts, both pleasant and sad ones. Sometimes just counting, seconds, minutes, hours. A greek "invention" for "killing time"! The greek "revolution" in these strings of beads, came when the Greeks decided to create "space" for the beads, to move up and down, freely, like "dancing", creating a beautiful sound! A great companion!!!

The number of the beads in the Greek komboloi varies (unlike the rosario, tesbih or komboskoini, where the number of beads is specific, because they are used for counting prayers), but it has to be an odd number. Most common number of beads are 21,17,25,33.

There are different materials from which a komboloi can be made of. Amber, amber-like materials (for example blends of burs of amber, other resins and bakelite, among them some very rare and expensive blends known as "Faturan" and "Sudurus" or "Mastic"), black corals ("yusuri"), red corals, wood, semi precious stones, animal bones, horns, etc. Depends on the "taste" of the owner. A komboloi has to satisfy 3 basic senses of the onwer, the sight, the touch, and the hearing.

The most popular and beloved material is amber (the most expensive, also), in greek "κεχριμπάρι" ("kehribari"), in ancient greek "ήλεκτρον" ("ilektron"), from which "ηλεκτρισμός" ("ilektrismos"="electricity") comes from. Most of the amber available worldwide comes from the regions around the Baltic Sea. This particular one in the photo is made from rare burmanese amber. The feel of amber is really unique, and for the komboloi owners is more precious than gold or any diamond!

Someone can have as many "kombolois" he likes, but he can only have one "personal" komboloi of his own, which he can't share with any other, no other hands but the owner's can touch "his own private komboloi". Believe me, the "bond" is very strong! You can tell a lot about someone's character from the way he holds and "plays" with his komboloi!!!

You can find contradictory informations and opinions about komboloi, about where it came from, when it started, about the materials, etc. but that's part of its beautiful mystery. Below you can find a link with info:

www.komboloi.org

***WORKSHOP 1***- A "komboloi" from black coral ("Yusuri"). When it gets wet it smells like the sea.

***WORKSHOP 2***- A "komboloi" made of goat horn. Quite psychedelic!

bema, carlosmarin, kastanaras, Leconte, Longroute, vasilpro, ciakgiak, diomed, Cricri, Budapestman, bebbetto, josepmarin, Dashab, jhm, coco has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

bema (26591) 2010-02-18 1:26

Jassu Hercules,

really a very fashionable komboloi, you show us here..
and a perfect capture, too..
have seen this "things" often during my vacations at greece, but never knew a lot about, thanks for your kind note..

have a ncie day, greetings Bernd

jasmis (58653) 2010-02-18 2:10

Interesting presentation. I can compare this Rosario with mine. They are quite different, but this is the same element of faith.
Superb photo.
Regards.

carlosmarin (11954) 2010-02-18 3:18

Buenos d燰s Hercules,
Bonito Komboloi de 嫥bar.
Como bien dices, es algo que ayuda a pasar el tiempo, o a contarlo.
Bella foto, descriptiva del Komboloi, junto a los dos WS.
Buena luz y color.
Un abrazo,
Carlos

mesutilgim (0) 2010-02-18 4:19

Hello dear Hercules,
An entry again like an academic work !
This is one of the good sides of this site; even if you are scarce of photographic "crop", there is everywhere around us to be photographed and shared in this platform.
Not only you capture, put also your detailled notes worth to be saluted !!!
TFS my friend and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

kastanaras (1160) 2010-02-18 4:37

Geia soy Irakli,
......Tha to doso to oroloi kai tha paro kompoloi,
na metrao toys kaimous kai tous anastenagmous.
Endiaferoysa photo me thema ena politragoudismeno antikimeno, to kompoloi.
Oraia xromata kai poli kalos fotismos & eukrineia.
Ekseretika kali i simiosi sou.
Se xereto kai kalo upoloipo ths imeras,
Dimitris

Longroute (19600) 2010-02-18 5:20

I don't know which is more fascinating: the story in your note or this amber beads! I didn't know the existence of such a time killing but it didn't surprise me. I have read long ago an article of a neurologist who said that keeping small balls into the hand and playing with them has a shoothing effect on the nervous system. The hands are the part of the body which have the most quantity of nerves per cm2, so everything we do with our hands affects strongly our nervous system... the other part which has similar innervation is the mouth...

I really like the colour and the clarity of this photo, next time I go to Greece I think I'll buy myself a komboloi! (:-)
TFS,
Donato

veyselk (0) 2010-02-18 6:14

Merhaba Hercules

you wrote histoty of tesbih gloriously (or komboloi you say)
I have a couple of tesbih too and especially I love kehrikari (in turkish kehribar) ones.
Sharpnesss, light management are beautiful again
thanks for sharing

cheers
veysel

amaryllis (37047) 2010-02-18 8:13

bonjour Hercule
une photo avec de beaux d彋ails et une note tr廥 d彋aill嶪 ainsi que tes deux ws; une belle couleur 嶲alement de ce bien pr嶰ieux
une nettet� remarquable
juliette

vasilpro (41801) 2010-02-18 9:16

Γεια σου Ηρακλή,
Αγαπημένη απασχόληση από τότε που έκοψα το κάπνισμα, εξαιρετική λήψη με όμορφα χρώματα και πολύ καλό φωτισμό.
Καλό απόγευμα, Βασίλης.

gilou530 (34) 2010-02-18 13:29

salut hercules
une photo pas banale sur TE attention a la pub interdite, belle nettet� sur fond noir
amiti廥
gilbert

ciakgiak (30) 2010-02-18 14:00

Hello Hercules,
I didn't know about the existence of the "komboloi".
I read your notes and they are very interesting, so as the image that show us this precious object!
The quality of the shot is superb, as always.
Thanks a lot for the two ws too.
Friendly regards.
Giorgio

diomed (13926) 2010-02-18 16:34

Hi Hercules,
nice still life, great light management, fantastic details, very interesting note.
Nice Friday
Antonio

COSTANTINO (116580) 2010-02-18 22:31

Geia sou Hrakli,
Sxeto kexrimpari,me zontana diafana xrwmata kai kalodoulemeno ,xeipopoiito,
pisteuw na einai enthumio apo tis episkepsis sthn geitoniki xwra,
xairetismous,

Costantino

Cricri (176) 2010-02-18 22:43

Hi Hercules
Une histoire passionnante et int廨essante d嶰rit dans votre note, celui ci et plus attirant par sa couleur que ceux des WS, belle mise en valeur de ce bijoux pr嶰ieux
Friendsip
cricri

Hellas (7123) 2010-02-19 2:34

Θα το δώσω το ρολόι και θα �. Αποκλείεται!
Ένα από τα πράγματα που δεν πρόκειται ποτέ να κάνω! Παράλληλη συνύπαρξη δεν αποκλείεται πάντως. Έχω ένα συνάδελφο που από τότε που έκοψε το τσιγάρο, έγινε ο αχώριστος φίλος του.

Το σκούρο έπιπλο ενδυναμώνει την παρουσία του κομπολογιού. Το χρώμα του είναι το γνωστό παραδοσιακό, γλυκό και πολύ εντυπωσιακό!

Καλό Σαββατοκύριακο.

Budapestman (82620) 2010-02-19 4:28

Hi Hercules,
a very attractive photo with nice composition and superb note, I like the idea and the realization, splendid TE work, Tfs! Have a nice day!
George

bebbetto (122) 2010-02-19 9:40

Ciao Hercules.
Thank you for this beautiful picture of this very common tool and favourite pastime of many greek men.
However, during my numerous vacations in Greece, I saw the komboloi almost exclusively in hands of oversixty-years-old men. Isn'it ?

josepmarin (59385) 2010-02-19 12:00

Hola Hercules,
espl幯dido close-up de este "komboloi", en el que has conseguido una alta calidad de imagen y una gran nitidez, y no era f塶il.
La luz y los colores est嫕 perfectamente gestionados, me gusta la fuerza y la sencillez de la composici鏮.
Los WS de "komboloi" co0n otros materiales son muy buenos.
Excelente trabajo.
Un abrazo,
Josep

Leconte (5795) 2010-02-19 13:46

Hello Hercules,

a wonderful shade of amber, very nice details in silver, beautiful collection, I think it's one of the most beautiful jewelry for men, both virile and refined and very aesthetic view whirl between fingers,

best regards,
Val廨ie.

dip (21408) 2010-02-19 22:15

Geia sou Irakli,
polu oraios o sundiasmos ton xromaton pou dialekses,
kai gia opoion den kserei peri tinos prokeite,arkei na diavasei to polu endiaferon simeioma sou,
kalo Savvatokuriako,
Dimitris.

Dashab (2564) 2010-02-20 5:10

Hello Hercules,
What a great idea to show this popular Greek "toy"! Exaclty in the spirit of "learning about the world".
And what a perfect shot! I love the warm glow of the amber beads and the light on the silk (?) tassel. I also like your work with shallow the DOF, it is perfectly suited for this close-up.
Thanks for the elaborate and informative note and the workshops. Both are very interesting, and especially the goat-horn komboloi looks quite pretty, but the amber one would still be my champion :-)
TFS and have a nice weekend!
Dasha

jhm (211736) 2010-02-21 3:05

Hello Hercules,

I look to the both WS's, I prefer the black coral, this is very nice.
Here these picture is nice of color and excellent of presentation.
Very well composition, nice pose of the kombolo. TFS.

Have a nice day,
John.

sagar (2410) 2010-02-21 3:45

Hi Hercules,
A fantastic capture here. Very artistically composed and lovely contrasting colors.
Regards,
Sagarneel.

gneufeld (15890) 2010-02-21 19:40

Hi Hercules,
A great shot with intersting shapes and rich golden tones, and I like your very discriptive note. Very well done and TFS. Gerald

mursaloglu (8682) 2010-02-22 1:07

My dear Herakli iassu,
I was in madrid the last week for the Galatasaray team match that's why I didn't see your last pictures. This one is just amazing as usual your pictures, with great lightning and marvelous sharpness. Just profesional .bravo ihsan

atilgone (0) 2010-02-23 1:41

this is my favoritte kehribar rosario :) I like its smell very much :) nice picture and very good note
tfs

Glint (6171) 2010-02-25 10:47

Hello Hercules,
a nicely photographed komboloi. Warm rich colours and a well balanced composition. Interesting note too. I didn't know what these were called but somehow got to refer to them as worry beads.I suppose that would be because of the nervouse sounding clicking as the beads are moved about. I take it that you have your own set of komboloi and wonder what type is yours ? I like the amber, perhaps I should acquire these beads for myself next time I am in Greece. I can imagine that the action of moving the beads is quite relaxing.
best regards,
Bev

coco (30439) 2010-03-10 3:06

Kalimera Hercules.

T嶰nicamente una foto muy lograda y atractiva y tambi幯 un trabajo muy bueno en la nota.
Enhorabuena por la foto y disfruta de tu komboloi.

Ta leme, file mou.