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.

Old silver ring with Arabic script

an unusual old ring sourced in Niger, possibly Tuareg. It has various Islamic inscriptions including the names of the four archangels at the four sides.
Read more…
E-mail me when people leave their comments –

Comments

  • Love this, does it happen to be for sale?
  • Unfortunately, we sold it about a year ago on eBay.  I debated for months whether or not to part with it, but alas, if I collected every interesting piece, we'd never have anything to sell.  I made sure to save many photos for cataloging purposes.  A truly unusual piece.  I'm guessing it to be what I refer to as a "marabout" ring; one worn by a traditional religious man believed to have special powers (sometimes compared to a saint, though quite a different thing).  I'm sure it was some sort of talisman of sorts as it invokes the four archangels (same as in Christianity) and by the way it has script angled inside the circle (part says, "Mohamed is Allah's messenger"). the writing around the outside of the circle is harder to read.
  • It looks old and very rural more personal and village made which I like very much--simpler and a bit cruder but much more meaningful. I have an amulet which also appeals to me for this very reason. It's strange how I am starting to identify jewelry with city and rural terms because that is often how carpets are referred to. Anyway,here is my link https://ethnicjewels.ning.com/photo/favorite-magic-square-pendant?co...
  • classical talismanic ring, with the four main archangels names thent a circular phrase "no might could be achived only with  allah the most powerful the most merciful, the lord, the most sacred"

    inside is written "mohammad the prophet of allah, peace and prayers be upon him"

     

    very archaic etching, the usage is that the owner goes to buy the plain ring from a jeweller and that the islamic scholar specialised in this field will engrave it himself or send the owner to a silversmith that he knows personnally

This reply was deleted.

You need to be a member of Adorned Histories to add comments!

Join Adorned Histories

Request your copy of our newsletter.

If you would like to receive our newsletter

Click here