Author
Unknown
Publication Place
Algeria (made) -
Subject
Amulets Islam Jewellery Metalwork Judaism Africa
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
Diameter: 2.8in
Library
Victoria and Albert Museum
Library Asset ID
283-1904
Record ID
283-1904
Library Location
Middle East Section
Notes
This silver amulet comes from the Atlas mountains in North Eastern Algeria. The amulet is inscribed in Arabic and would have been worn by a Kabyle berber. Silver was a very popular material for jewellery as it was seen as a symbol of purity and honesty and rural Kabyle communities preferred it to gold which they regarded as a sign of vice. This brooch was probably made by a Jewish silversmith as the Berbers thought working with metal was an inferior occupation. Jewish silversmiths dominated jewellery making in North Africa from the late 15th century until the late 19th century.
Sample Text
Note There is an Arabic inscription on the amulet.
Malzemeler ve teknikler
Silver, chased and engraved Silver Chasing Engraving
Fiziksel açıklama
Amulet of chased silver with an Arabic inscription. The amulet is a flat disk roughly cut with eigth small projections. The inscription is in three lines seperated by two bands. A plain, flat loop is soldered across the top.
