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.
You need to be a member of Adorned Histories to add comments!
Request your copy of our newsletter.
If you would like to receive our newsletter
Comments
A work of art, Joost. Would it be worn like that?
I would imagine it would, Thelma. I see no reason why not. We can see where the neck would have been, and the arms. This is an instance of jewellery being sewn onto the dress - an eminently practical way of displaying a lot of beauty and wealth on an important occasion, as a wedding very much was.
An incredible treasure! I have another pic of one that I found years ago - the image, not the dress.
A lovely photo, Patti - and I fully understand how you came to associate the two dresses. I think they marvellously combine as clothing and jewellery in a most impressive "fusion". They were meant to be rich objects, and look it - yet not at all in a crass or vulgar way. The colours of the dresses provide a wonderful backdrop, too (as well as being nice anyway!)
Patti, I decided to put yours on Facebook as well, as it is most attractive and people will be keen to see it and to relate it to the one I posted previously. Thanks so much for posting it.
These two dresses are such wonderful treasures. Another way to wear jewelry and show it off. This confirms my belief that you can never own too many jewels!
re Thelma's question -- Many Central Asian costumes do include lots and lots of silver and silver substitute jewelry -- Children's coats from Central Asia, headdresses and hats from Northern Africa, Turkoman robes and the dresses of Kohistan, Uzbek hats and headdresses all include lots of jewelry which only increases over the years that the article is worn. I guess what makes this stand out is the incredible workmanship and quality of the silver attached to the garment. And the complete impossibility of ever obtaining such a treasure.
This is great. I can imagine all different women each contributing a bit of silver to the bride, with the result being this lovely group sewn on the dress. Hodge-podge is a bit derogatory, but that's kind of what this looks like to me.
What a lovely display of sewn on jewelry.