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.

Yemeni Anklets

A pair of Yemeni silver anklets from the southern Hadramaut region. The body of each anklet is adorned with engraving, granulation, soldered bails, and bells. There are so many bells that when set upon the floor, the body of the anklets cannot touch it. They float on the cloud of the bells. Inside there are many pebbles or beads. These are huge and heavy.Dimensions:7.5cm interior of anklet, 10.5cm exterior, 16.5cm with bells930 grams together
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Comments

  • Detail of the engraving, taken with the anklet upside-down.  Each anklet has three styles of engraving that create a rectangle shape and repeat along the body of the anklet. 

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  • Dear Lynn; These are very nice indeed! Yes, they always come very heavy. I have such a pair plus a sort of matching necklace which weighs 2.2kg! Congratulations and greetings from Jerusalem before the snow storm... - we will be leaving in an hour for the border. Jordan announced two days of public holidays because of the expected snow storm (due to the lack of snow clearing equipment the whole country is paralyzed). Peter
  • Amazing , almost one kilogram of silver to be carried on both ankles. Beautiful and smartly produced,, must be quite old?. Congratulations Lynn for the beautiful set...

  • These are soo besutiful Lynn - I love the large bells in particular!

    Have you tried wearing them? ;-)

  • Beautiful Lynn, Is the anklet so solid or lay the weight in the bells?  Lovely deep glow on the anklets themselves. You are also an amazing collector.  Well done  Gr. Ingrid.

  • Peter @ Lynn I am not quite sure if they come always as heavy, because I do have one lost soul, light in weight and with  very small bells. Gr. Ingrid.

  • Dear Ingrid; They always come so heavy. I have seen now quite many with the dealer in Amman and they are always the same size. The decoration on them is varying. Please find below a photo of mine, arranged on the top shelve which are together over 1kg. In the center you can see a necklace with exactly the same size of bells, weighing a whooping 2.2kg! There are some other Yemeni and Omani pieces in this showcase... With kind regards. Peter

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  • Thank you Peter, Mustafa, Betty and Ingrid.  My feeling is the bells are about half the weight of the anklets.  The body of the anklet is very large and sturdy to avoid dents, but it is hollow because there are little pieces inside that make a loud tumbling noise as they move. 

    Betty I have tried them on and they are LOUD.  A woman walking could be hear a mile away in these anklets!  They are so heavy they have to be worn with a padding underneath them, otherwise they slide down and cut into the back of the ankle. 

  • Peter, your display is amazing!  Regarding your huge necklace, Marjorie Ransom writes that these are all bedouin pieces and in the bedouin community in the southern Hadraumat, a large amulet of this type was a must for the wedding!  I bought a belt with bells from the same estate which is about 1 kg and has many bells and special coins decorated with carvings and glass stones.  I think it is older than the anklets and it is taking me a long time to clean it as it is huge and black.  I will post it soon, I will need help understanding the meaning of the carvings.  Some of them are letters and some look like ram's heads.  There is also a star of David tucked almost under the clasp.  It is quite special. 

  • Dear Lynn: Great - I am looking forward to see your belt. Below you can find another necklace with same sized bells - very heavy as well. Regards. Peter

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