Head Ornament - Saudi Arabia - Gallery

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.

Head Ornament - Saudi Arabia

Posted by Peter Hoesli on January 27, 2017 at 8:22am

This is a very finely worked, small head ornament. A rare find.

Comments

Betty January 27, 2017 at 6:14pm

Very beautiful, Peter! It reminds me of an Ethiopian choker/head ornament that I am lucky to own and another one I sold that was from Yemen. While the Ethiopian version is quite distinct, I would be most curious to learn how one can tell the difference between the Saudi and Yemeni versions. With kind regards, Betty
Peter Hoesli January 28, 2017 at 12:13am

Dear Betty; I have noticed that Saudi Arabia has only very few distinct jewelry items which are purely Saudi Arabia or can be immediately identified as Saudi Arabian. Many of their jewelry are heavily influenced by the neighboring countries, mainly Yemen. Therefore, it is possible that some jewelry worn here in Saudi Arabia have been brought into the country and worn here, especially by the Rashaida tribe. I have yet to come across a silver smith, producing local beauties. With kind regards. Peter
Peter Hoesli January 28, 2017 at 12:18am

Dear Betty; As mentioned in one of my earlier posts, there used to be a group of Ethiopian Jews, living in Ta'if (Hejaz - near Jeddah, Makhah, Medina) during the Ottoman time. I could imagine that they had left their footprint as well before migrating to Israel. With kind regards. Peter