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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Comments
This is so beautiful, Jose. Interesting how the two bottom crescent moon shapes are mounted in opposition to the top one. Absolutely lovely stones ... carnelians (?). And the coins .. the dates seem to be quite old. Fantastic, interesting.
That is beautiful and valuable necklace Jose. I love the combination of stones and gilt silver. It is also nice to have Otoman coins with very old dates on one side and a 'tughra' on the other indicating that this necklace was crafted since quite some time. Congratulations Jose for this nice item.
What a fabulous piece, Jose - first time I see something of the kind...
I can only join the choir of praise...
Thanks to all for your nice comments. The necklace is certainly very original and it looks great in the real. The stones are agates, cornelians (I think) and some tiny bits of turquoise. Thelma is right about the upper crescent not facing down. That is usual in Northern Egypt pieces (were rather than a chain a strap of cloth is used) and in Nubian pieces(for example Sinn'aj pendants). I guess that in this case it was found more convenient to change the normal arrangement so that it was easier to use as a necklace with a chain. As to the coins I am not sure that they are real ones but simply stamped with a coin design. That is also quite common in pieces of folk Egyptian jewelry. The seller told me that he had bought it at an antique dealer, I cannot remember whether it was in Cairo and Alexandria, and that he thought it was from the 1930's-40's. That would make sense to me. I would think that it is a fancy urban necklace of that period in the context of a Zar ceremony. Of course, any further ideas will be welcome.
Fascinating.
Dating is likely to be correct and makes sense to me as well, the carved carnelian beads and the way they are strung on metal wires are often found on jewels from this era and even on earlier jewels.
there is something for everyone on this gem: fish, beads, turquoise, engraving, inscription, coins...very complete!
A great necklace, Jose, and the extensive information supplied in the various posts is really great as well!