Very old tunisian scent box

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Very old tunisian scent box

Posted by Alaa eddine SAGID on July 3, 2011 at 1:28pm

It can open and bears numerous very old 19th century tunisian hallmarks The bird and the reddish bead is typical of the silverwork coming from tunisia (ottoman influence)

Comments

Toya July 3, 2011 at 5:27pm

This box is lovely. The bird has much character. Does the symbol of the bird have a special meaning?
Patricia Deany July 3, 2011 at 6:52pm

Hi Toya, Ayis may have a more detailed answer, but I have been told that the bird is a symbol of fertility amongst the Berber. I have a bracelet with this symbol and a fibula. And have seen it on many other things. It is funny, when we were in Oaurzazat we stopped at Hussayn's and Alecia's house, they were just newly married, and right below the outdoor light were the silhouettes of two doves nesting together, that is living birds. Such a magical moment, particularly in the context of a newly married couple.
Toya July 3, 2011 at 11:09pm

What a lovely image of the two doves outside your friend's house.. Thanks for the information. In some cultures I have heard the bird represents "spirit" so I wondered about this. I use the bird image a lot in my own art work and am always drawn to it in other designs.
Alaa eddine SAGID July 3, 2011 at 11:23pm

The presence of the birds (or pigeons) in jewelry could very well be a very early biblical tradition brought to north africa by jewish migrants from the early christian time when they were expelled from nowadays lybian coast to what is now the algerian sahara and the moroccan south east.

We do find a lot of little pigeons/birds on earrings, diadems and even belt buckles

Much, much later ottoman influence spread across egypt, lybia , tunisia and algeria and they brought with them the bird representation but it was not heaviliy used on jewelry items but rather employed on beauty related items ( rose water sprinklers, mirrors, scent boxes....)

So we can conclude that the bird/pigeon could be a symbol of feminity and to a lesser extent of fertility
Toya July 4, 2011 at 4:55am

Thank you, Ayis, for the very interesting background information. There is a sweetness to many of these bird images which is definitely feminine.
kim price July 20, 2011 at 5:26am

interesting information and a charming little piece.

Gallery

Very old tunisian scent box

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