A high-temperature lead telluride thermoelectric module comprising: A. a two-part egg-crate for holding in place and providing insulation and electrical connections (28, 89) for a number of thermoelectric N-legs (4, 52, 72) and P-legs (8, 54, 74), wherein said egg-crate is comprised of: 1) a hot side part comprised of a ceramic material capable of operation at temperatures in excess of 500°C and 2) a cold side part comprised of a polymeric material having very low thermal conductivity; B. a plurality of segmented thermoelectric N-legs (4, 52, 72) and P-legs (8, 54, 74), each leg comprised of at least one PbTe segment (72a, 74a) and positioned in said egg-crate, at least a portion of said legs being electrically connected in series; wherein 1) each of at least a plurality of said N-legs (4, 52, 72) are comprised of a) a high-temperature thermoelectric segment (72a, 74a), wherein the high-temperature is in excess of 500°C, b) a low-temperature thermoelectric segment (72b, 74b) and c) at least one metal mesh at least partially embedded in the high-temperature segment (72a, 74a); and 2) each of at least a plurality of said P-legs (8, 54, 74) are comprised of a) a high-temperature thermoelectric segment (72a, 74a), wherein the high-temperature is in in excess of 500°C, b) a low-temperature thermoelectric segment (72b, 74b) and c) at least one metal mesh at least partially embedded in the high-temperature segment (72a, 74a). A. a two-part egg-crate for holding in place and providing insulation and electrical connections (28, 89) for a number of thermoelectric N-legs (4, 52, 72) and P-legs (8, 54, 74), wherein said egg-crate is comprised of: 1) a hot side part comprised of a ceramic material capable of operation at temperatures in excess of 500°C and 2) a cold side part comprised of a polymeric material having very low thermal conductivity; 1) a hot side part comprised of a ceramic material capable of operation at temperatures in excess of 500°C and 2) a cold side part comprised of a polymeric material having very low thermal conductivity; B. a plurality of segmented thermoelectric N-legs (4, 52, 72) and P-legs (8, 54, 74), each leg comprised of at least one PbTe segment (72a, 74a) and positioned in said egg-crate, at least a portion of said legs being electrically connected in series; wherein 1) each of at least a plurality of said N-legs (4, 52, 72) are comprised of a) a high-temperature thermoelectric segment (72a, 74a), wherein the high-temperature is in excess of 500°C, b) a low-temperature thermoelectric segment (72b, 74b) and c) at least one metal mesh at least partially embedded in the high-temperature segment (72a, 74a); and 2) each of at least a plurality of said P-legs (8, 54, 74) are comprised of a) a high-temperature thermoelectric segment (72a, 74a), wherein the high-temperature is in in excess of 500°C, b) a low-temperature thermoelectric segment (72b, 74b) and c) at least one metal mesh at least partially embedded in the high-temperature segment (72a, 74a). 1) each of at least a plurality of said N-legs (4, 52, 72) are comprised of a) a high-temperature thermoelectric segment (72a, 74a), wherein the high-temperature is in excess of 500°C, b) a low-temperature thermoelectric segment (72b, 74b) and c) at least one metal mesh at least partially embedded in the high-temperature segment (72a, 74a); and a) a high-temperature thermoelectric segment (72a, 74a), wherein the high-temperature is in excess of 500°C, b) a low-temperature thermoelectric segment (72b, 74b) and c) at least one metal mesh at least partially embedded in the high-temperature segment (72a, 74a); and 2) each of at least a plurality of said P-legs (8, 54, 74) are comprised of a) a high-temperature thermoelectric segment (72a, 74a), wherein the high-temperature is in in excess of 500°C, b) a low-temperature thermoelectric segment (72b, 74b) and c) at least one metal mesh at least partially embedded in the high-temperature segment (72a, 74a). a) a high-temperature thermoelectric segment (72a, 74a), wherein the high-temperature is in in excess of 500°C, b) a low-temperature thermoelectric segment (72b, 74b) and c) at least one metal mesh at least partially embedded in the high-temperature segment (72a, 74a).