Our Rosaries and Prayer Beads

This beaded chotki is made of olive wood beads from Bethlehem. It is strung and hand knotted on sturdy cotton cord that will not stretch or break. It is finished on the end with a small Latin cross, also cut from olive wood. You may find that it is a bit stiff at first, but the cord will become more supple with use.

Our olive wood comes from the town of Bethlehem. It is harvested from the prunings and trimmings of the ancient olive trees that grow there. Olive trees are known to grow to a very great age, and it is certainly possible for trees to be alive now that were growing in the time of Christ. The trees grow shoots and branches that interfere with their ability to produce fruit, and these are carefully cut away each year. Our supplier uses these trimmings to produce beads, crosses, and other beautiful and useful items.

If you are interested in learning more about the use of the chotki, our Resources section contains a link to an excellent article on the subject.

Quantity discounts are available for this and all our olive wood rosaries. Please inquire using the comment form.

"The Earth is the LORD's"

This beaded chotki uses tagua beads, dyed a rich, royal blue It is hand-knotted on sturdy cotton cord, with separating beads of deeply carved bone. The cross is recast in bronze from a 19th Century original which, I am told, was a favorite of soldiers. The chotki is a wonderful way to show good stewardship and respect for God's Creation by using renewable materials.

The large seed of the tagua palm provides a substance often known as "vegetable ivory." It is tough, durable, and beautiful. Easily polished, it shows the same organic "grain" as cut pieces of elephant ivory. In fact, it is now being used by European makers of fine jewelry in applications where elephant ivory would traditionally have been used. It is sturdy enough to be formed into shirt and blouse buttons. People in Central America who harvest the tagua are able to earn a good income by forming it into beads, sculptures, chess pieces, and other objects. Best of all, it renews itself naturally each year.

We learn more about elephants all the time. Apparently they are self-aware, just as we are, recognizing themselves in a mirror as we do. We also know that they mourn for days when a member of their group dies or is killed. Yet their lives are taken every day simply to acquire their tusks.

This beaded chotki incorporates 33 beads of softly colored fancy jasper. Jasper is a beautiful, yet sturdy gemstone whose soft natural colors sometimes have an autumnal feel. The separating beads are of carved bone in an ornate pattern.

The bronze cross of this chotki was recast from an etched 18th Century Russian original, and it shows signs of its age and wear. The chotki is strung and hand knotted on sturdy cotton cord that will not stretch or break. You may find that it is a bit stiff at first, but the cord will become more supple with use.

If you are interested in learning more about the use of the chotki, our Resources section contains a link to an excellent article on the subject.

If you are interested in practicing the use of the Chotki, or if you just want a simple and attractive beaded prayer rope, this may be the right chotki for you. The beads are Bayong wood, a renewable hardwood from the Philippines. The simple cross is made from the horn of the carabao, or water buffalo, also from the Philippines. Male carabao shed their horns each autumn, so they do not suffer when the material is taken. It is a rich, reddish gold color with a high polish.

Quantity discounts are available for this piece. Please use the form to inquire.