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Brooch

Title	Brooch
Author	Unknown
Publication Place	Algeria (made) -
Subject	Jewellery Judaism Islam Africa Metalwork
Type	Other
Language	Undetermined
Digital	Yes
Manuscript	No
Physical Dimensions	Length: 3.6in, Width: 1.75in
Library:	Victoria and Albert Museum
Library Asset ID	332-1904
Record ID	332-1904
Library Location	Middle East Section
Notes	This silver shoulder brooch would have been worn by Kabyle women in the first half of the 19th century to affix their robes. The Kabyles are a Berber people from the Atlas mountains in North Eastern Algeria. 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.
Malzemeler ve teknikler	Chased and pierced silver Silver Piercing Chasing
Fiziksel açıklama	Silver brooch with irregular outline, roughly chased and pierced, terminating in a pin throught the base of a ring with flattened ends.

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Victoria and Albert Museum

Brooch

Author Unknown

Publication Place Algeria (made) -

Subject Jewellery Judaism Islam Africa Metalwork

Type Other

Language Undetermined

Digital Yes

Manuscript No

Physical Dimensions Length: 3.6in, Width: 1.75in

Library Victoria and Albert Museum

Library Asset ID 332-1904

Record ID 332-1904

Library Location Middle East Section

Notes This silver shoulder brooch would have been worn by Kabyle women in the first half of the 19th century to affix their robes. The Kabyles are a Berber people from the Atlas mountains in North Eastern Algeria. 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.

Malzemeler ve teknikler Chased and pierced silver Silver Piercing Chasing

Fiziksel açıklama Silver brooch with irregular outline, roughly chased and pierced, terminating in a pin throught the base of a ring with flattened ends.