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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HI Cordelia.
I m ok with the top pendant being used as a bit adorning veils, headresses in Yemen and propably among the rashaida as well(?) in eastern africa!!
As for the boxes they for sure come from eastern africa, i guess from erythrea, sudan and ethiopia where they would make huge necklace (i should find an old postcard with a lady wearing them and post it)
Many thanks for that, I also got with that lot what I guess is another thing that would hang on the side? Is this Sudan also?
Well it is very difficult to tell.
Many jewelry worn in east africa was imported from yemen , especially among the muslim population
The boxes on the bottom were often worn with 6-8 together- they would be linked together just like these to are- with a regular chain towards the neck area. They are from Southern Egypt/ Nubia.
here is a postcard of a woman from eastern africa, possible Djibouti, Erythrea or Ethiopia wearing a big necklace with similar box pendants
Wow, what a beautiful woman and a strange picture! I wonder what the story behind the picture was and where the nude ones went. I hope he paid her well.
Thanks Alaa very much
This lady from the postcard has the features and looks of a Gondar/Amhara lady, so also her amulets are typical from the Gondar area.(Ethiopia), but her bracelets more Wollo regio. Good looking woman, she also has the swollen thyroid gland, which is sign iodin insufficency because the salt they use is not sea salt, which shows that she is from inland regions and not the coast areas.
Wonderful insights Ingrid!!! Many Thanx
@ Ingrid
It is very special that a lady from gondar would not wear a cross!!
Anyway that argument about the swollen thyroid is a killer. we should be aware of the slightest detail on any picture!!
BTW, What do you think about the fact that she is half nude, is this a regular ethiopian clothing, ot can we surmize that the model was kinda intimate with the photographed? Maybe the picture was staged?
I love to make the detective!!
That is a very astute observation from your side Alaa eddine Sagid, no cross, but Gondarres are not all christians, it is also the center of the Fallashas(black jews), and moslims as well. She also wears another protection as a sharp. I do not recognise the dress style, could be a pose. They definitely are mostly well covered, especially the highlanders. Nudisme is mostly amongst some of the Oromo population such as the Hammer, Cambella etc.
Also in the olden days like till 1980 breasts were not a sexy display for that the legs were supposed to be properly covered. Babies were fed openly and everywhere not hidden like in the olden days in Europe.
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