Worry beads, or komboloi, are a Greek fidget toy, used to relieve stress and generally pass the time. They resemble prayer beads, but bear no religious significance. They are merely an instrument of relaxation and stress management.
Komboloi are constructed from any type of bead, although amber, amber resin (such as faturan) and coral are preferred, as they are thought to be more pleasant to handle than non-organic materials such as metal or minerals.
Greek komboloi generally have an odd number of beads and usually have a "head" composed of a fixed bead (παπάς 'priest') and a tassel. They can be rubbed, spun and twirled in a number of different ways, mostly by old Greek men who know more tricks on their worry beads than the average yo-yo champion does.
A variation of the komboloi with an especially long string, often with only two beads, is known as begleri. The origin of the Greek komboloi is debated. It may derive from the komboskoini used by Orthodox monks or the Islamic tasbih. Armenians also have their own worry beads which serve the same purpose as the komboloi and are also non-religious in nature.
And, from http://origin.hit360.com/german/special/article.php?afieroma_id=39
Only here in Greece have we modified them into something different. Mr. Aris Evaggelinos, driven by his love for his grandfather, who made him his first worry beads, built in Nafplio the Worry Bead Museum. In the same building he has his worry bead workshop, where visitors can observe the making of worry beads. The exhibits that are shown are from all over the world, which have been collected and are cared for by Mr. Evaggelinos himself.
According to the opinion of Mr. Evaggelinos, amber, mastic, red coral, ivory, ebony etc, which are used to make worry beads, are not soul-less materials. They elicit the smell of the sea, retsina wine, etc. and are alive. He has also written a book about the history of worry beads. As he says, the worry beads are a part of the Greek tradition and must be protected by the government. The goal of the museum is to save and show the Traditional Greek Worry Beads. The museum is one of a kind in the world and can be found at 25 Stekopoulou Street, Nafplio. For more information call +3027520 21618. Also just recently, a worry beads exhibition was held at the Millenium Centre in Patra. Anthi Aggelopoulou.
And from http://gogreece.about.com/cs/greekfolkart/a/komboloi.htm,
Like most Greek folk art, the history of komboloi is confused. Some claim that they are a recent addition to mainland Greek culture, arriving only seventy or eighty years ago and then achieving a fashionable status. Or that they are a mimicry of Turkish prayer bead strands, adopted by persecuted Greeks to mock their captors.
Still another theory suggests that the Turkish conquerors forbade their Greek subjects to shake hands, and the beads were introduced as a way of reminding Greeks to not shake hands. Others assert, probably more rightly, that they are derived from the knotted prayer strands (komboskini) used by Greek Orthodox monks. As the word komboloi means "group of knots", this may be the true origin.
Until recently, komboloi were the special province of men, and were rarely seen in the hands of women. Melina Mercouri was an exception, often handling a silver strand in public as she fought for recognition of Greece's cultural sovereignty. Modern young Greek men would disdain carrying them. But now, as they transcend cultural tradition and become a fashion accessory, both men and women are carrying them. Beautifully crafted strands are appearing in fine jewelry stores, and older strands are becoming prized collector items.
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