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Comments

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  Edith D January 5, 2015 at 11:18pm

  Mustafa, does this have a pin on the back to secure it???  I find this very interesting for its similarity to a "tej" from Zarzis that is in my collection.  I was told by silver dealers in Djerba that this is an old form that is now rarely used (at least in Tunisia).  This form in southern Tunisia has been replaced by one that more closely resembles a European diadem.
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  Mustafa J. Salem January 6, 2015 at 12:52pm

  Dear Edith: The disc has no pin on its back. It is  a bit concave but with nothing in the back. I think the holes on it help to tie it down on the front part of the head. I agree with the fact that they are rarely used now even in Libya.  Regards
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  Alaa eddine SAGID January 6, 2015 at 7:58pm

  I have always thought of these jewels in the way they are pinned at the forehead that they belong to the old north african berber tradition of the fringe forehead hair which represents fertility. It is called taounza and the same. Name refers to a vast array of head and forehead jewelry connected with the married status of the woman wearing them.
  What is it called in libya ? ...i bet it bears the arabic name of "goussa" which is the exact translation of taounza in berber
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  Alaa eddine SAGID January 6, 2015 at 8:01pm

  I meant bangs (hair)
  
  Great piece by the way
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  Edith D January 13, 2015 at 5:15am

  Thanks for the info Alaa eddine...as always very interesting.  Here is a similar type of head piece from Tunisia...

  
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  Mustafa J. Salem January 14, 2015 at 6:22pm

  This is quite interesting Edith as it seems that this piece has a pin in the back. Different from the older pieces in white silver. Having this piece in yellow silver ' Gold filled' may indicate also that it is a bit more recent especially with this type of filigree that is also used in Libyan jewellery in the sixties and seventies of 20th. Cent.   Alaa-Eddine may have better idea on this but what I am saying is a result of my observation nothing more.. In any case this is very interesting indeed.
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  Edith D January 14, 2015 at 6:37pm

  I was told by the silver dealers in Djerba that they had not seen one of these in about 50 years.  It has been supplanted in Tunisia by a headpiece form that looks more like a European tiara.  So I was surprised because at first I did not think it was very old, but it turned out to be older than I initially thought.
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  Mustafa J. Salem January 15, 2015 at 10:50am

  Very interesting indeed to know that these styles were made over fifty years ago. From its shape and style I would  have thought also that is quite recent as it looks modern. New information to me that this is quite old.. Thanks Edith for posting this.. it is really interesting to me.