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
very beautiful betty. i like this necklaces a lot. i like the mystery they have inside too
I recently acquired this Muria made of an unkown metall alloy (probably including aluminium?). It seems to be a rather recent creation. The beads (about 2.5 cm in diameter) are not filled - neither with wax nor wood - but are hollow and light weight. Some of them have a piece of metal or a small stone in them which rattles.
I wonder if anyone can perhaps comment on how to distinguish older and newer Murias?
Thanks Ait, I like them, too!
This one is actually more beautiful on the photo than in reality, I'm afraid. I still like it, but I was a bit disappointed that it's not made up of the old wax-core beads. A while ago I found four older, wax-filled beads, and they are are a lot nicer.
yes, but there is not so much with the wax. it is actualy ( shelack) a normal wax will melt in the heat.
i had a necklace with clay,wood and the wax in the same time. the beads were actualy from the same smith ( what i could observe)
BTW. they are actualy silver. this is not aluminium
This one the pics one contains no or very low silver, Ait. The beads are very light and completely hollow. I think it is only the old ones that are filled filled shellac (or wood or clay.
I've just examined the four separate beads I have, and you are right, it's no wax. I scratched a bit on the inside with a needle, and it seems that they are filled with a clay-like material.
I cannot say anything about the making or the Quality and the filling, but on the photo, this necklace Looks stunning! I really love it! As I wrote you by email, I have seen another such necklace, also hollow, but it is said to be from Yemen. It seems the Connections between Ethiopia and Yemen must have been very Close at some time, it would be interesting to find out more about this). I wonder what Ingrid will say. But you should not be disapponted, it really Looks beautiful!
Once again. This Muria is a very good piece. And like I wrote they are mostly of 700/1000 silver. If they are very hollow is good, because that means the jeweller has used a thicker form of silver and therefore the beads did not need so much wax/clay mixture. Because that is used in order to prefend it from denting. Often with very old Muria's they have used such thin layer of silver that it has been worn through and the wax/clay can be seen. (the wearing through is also a sign of good silver).
This Muria can be country as well as city piece, because of the smaller size. Well done Betty, enjoy it.
Thanks for all the additional information, Ingrid. The metal is actually quite thick and does not seem to be prone to denting.
Is there anyway to judge the age of a Muria (this one is not old, according to the previous owner it's from the 1970s)?
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