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Head dress

Title	Head dress
Author	Unknown
Publication Date:	1800
Publication Place	Algeria (made) -
Subject	Jewellery Islam Africa Judaism Metalwork
Type	Other
Language	Undetermined
Digital	Yes
Manuscript	No
Physical Dimensions	Length: 52cm
Library:	Victoria and Albert Museum
Library Asset ID	487-1865
Record ID	487-1865
Library Location	Middle East Section
Date	1800
Notes	This is an example of a head ornament worn by Kabyle women chiefly at the time of marriage. It was made in the first half of the nineteenth century. The Kabyle are a Berber people from North Eastern Algeria. The head dress is made up of silver plates linked together and is decorated with enamelled filigree and set with corals. Silver 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. As well as representing baraka (good luck), coral was believed to enhance fertility and was therefore an important part of a women's wedding costume. This head dress was probably made by a Jewish silversmith as the Berbers thought working with metal was an inferior occupation. The filigree technique used here was introduced to North Africa in the late fifteenth century by Jewish immigrants fleeing persecution in Europe. Jewish silversmiths dominated jewellery making in North Africa until the late nineteenth century.
Malzemeler ve teknikler	Silver plates, decorated with enamelled filigree and coral Silver Enamel Coral Filigree Enamelling
Fiziksel açıklama	Silver plates linked together with silver rings around a centre piece decorated with enamelled filigree and coral.

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Victoria and Albert Museum

Head dress

Author Unknown

Publication Date 1800

Publication Place Algeria (made) -

Subject Jewellery Islam Africa Judaism Metalwork

Type Other

Language Undetermined

Digital Yes

Manuscript No

Physical Dimensions Length: 52cm

Library Victoria and Albert Museum

Library Asset ID 487-1865

Record ID 487-1865

Library Location Middle East Section

Date 1800

Notes This is an example of a head ornament worn by Kabyle women chiefly at the time of marriage. It was made in the first half of the nineteenth century. The Kabyle are a Berber people from North Eastern Algeria. The head dress is made up of silver plates linked together and is decorated with enamelled filigree and set with corals. Silver 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. As well as representing baraka (good luck), coral was believed to enhance fertility and was therefore an important part of a women's wedding costume. This head dress was probably made by a Jewish silversmith as the Berbers thought working with metal was an inferior occupation. The filigree technique used here was introduced to North Africa in the late fifteenth century by Jewish immigrants fleeing persecution in Europe. Jewish silversmiths dominated jewellery making in North Africa until the late nineteenth century.

Malzemeler ve teknikler Silver plates, decorated with enamelled filigree and coral Silver Enamel Coral Filigree Enamelling

Fiziksel açıklama Silver plates linked together with silver rings around a centre piece decorated with enamelled filigree and coral.