A digital archive showcasing the extensive collection of jewellery and adornment images shared on the former Ethnic Jewels Ning site over the years. These images have significantly enriched discussions on cultural adornment and its global dispersion.

Baltic temporal?

Please ID if you can. This earring or temporal was said to be from the former Yugoslavia. It is almost as large as my hand, with silver and gilt silver. All of the detail work is real granulation with teeny tiny granules. The stone is glass which has the consistency of worn sand glass. I feel like I have seen this before but I have been unable to find a reference. It feels very old. Any ideas on the origin and age?
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Comments

  • Dear Lynn; I have seen this beauty before but do no longer know where. A very nice purchase. Please have a look at the crescent shaped silver-niello earrings, which I have posted yesterday. They feature the same granulation pattern as your earring and I am also looking for a reference... With kind regards. Peter
  • Very interesting, could this be an ornament which hangs from the waist with their national custom?

    Especially I can place it there if you see how solid the rings are to hold the lovely pendants together.

  • An extraordinary piece Lynn!!

    I am amazed wy the granulation work side by side with the bold braid chains!

    I would like to note one thing, it is the shape of the earring proper with the eye shaped part which have the cab and the way it filld the lower part of the earring: That is a very widespread islamic design seen from eastern turkey kurdish territorries all the way to Uzbekistan and ferghana valley: i have seen this very shape once worn by countryside ladies in North west iran and a very old gold pair offered for sale in the Ispahan bazar.

    The saint Pertersburg ethnological museum has also a remotely similar shaped earring labelled from Azerbaidjan which fits my own observations.

    I don't know how it relates to the exact origin of this piece but i tought it  worth noting in at least a very loose oriental connection ?

    There is however a very early age feel to this piece and the obvious mix of silver with alloys(?) of the linking and hanging rings and chains might as well be a balkanic indicator

    Great find

  • What a stunning piece, Lynn, with an almost medieval feel. I cannot add any useful info, I'm afraid...just admire!

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