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.
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Lovely! As already said, it seems that often Ethiopian jewellery Looks like Yemeni jewellery... (e.g. one of my bracelets, which was bought 100% in Ethiopia, but is the type they have in Jemen!). It would be interesting to know more about this.......... if anyone can tell, it would interest me too.
I think that these pieces may have been strung "upside-down". If there are two holes through each box, one on the top an one on the bottom, I believe that the granulation clusters would have been on the top, there would have then been two strands of beads- pendants used like spacer beads- and dangles would have hung from the two loops on the bottom.
Thanks for your comment, Hillary. I absolutely agree, the pieces are strung "upside-down" (and yes, each box has two holes). As mentioned, the way the elements are strung in the picture was just an experiment as I had no dangles...:-)
spot on Hillary!
Hi Betty, I am looking through the videos and come upon this find of yours. They are indeed Ethiopian, with the bells missing. Did you buy the pieces separate? Because they are part of a wedding gift necklace called Muria. It is worn as a choker. I have only seen these ones made of good content of silver. At a later date I will show some more pictures of originals. In general they are from Harrar Town and Tigrai. Sometimes they have been gold plated. Not too many around of these.
@ Ingrid: Thank you for this interesting information! I've actually seen pictures of the gold-plated Murias from Harar that you've mentioned, but I never knew they could also be found in Tigray! Good to know... If you possess a complete Muria, I would certainly love to see pics! Unfortunately this one is incomplete. I bought these 7 elements strung loosely together, and still haven't figured out what to do with them. I guess it would be extremely lucky to find matching (in size and style) end-pieces and dangles... Unfortunately my pieces are definitely not high-grade silver. They may have a silver content of 600-700/1000 but no more (my silver testing kit deserts me below 800). Two of them actually have a very faint coppery tinge.