Author
Unknown
Publication Date
1860
Publication Place
Syria (made) -
Subject
Jewellery Metalwork
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
Width: 7cm
Library
Victoria and Albert Museum
Library Asset ID
1532-1873
Record ID
1532-1873
Library Location
Middle East Section
Date
1860
Notes
Bracelets, always worn in pairs, were part of the traditional costume in almost all Islamic cultures. In the Syrian region, which incorporated much of Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon as well as Syria itself in the 19th century, they were worn by all sections of society, from townswomen to the nomadic Bedouin of the desert. The designs vary by sector and show influences from a wide area, reflecting Syriaâs strong trading traditions and central location. Bracelets like this, with a band of alternating projections shaped like pyramids and little houses, were more common in the southern part of the region, in Jordan and Palestine, where they are still worn today. The design may come from the Yemen, where similar bracelets, usually made of filigree, were made and worn by the Jewish community. Most Syrian jewellery in the 19th century was made by Christian or Jewish silversmiths, and they frequently moved around the region. This bracelet was bought for five shillings and sixpence (the pair) at the International Exhibition, London, in 1872, as an example of traditional Syrian jewellery. Its name was recorded as â ussuar â, which is a generic Arabic name for bracelets in the region.
Malzemeler ve teknikler
Silver-plated copper Plated
Fiziksel açıklama
Silver-plated copper bracelet. The bracelet consists of two equal sized pieces of sheet metal hinged together with a pin fastening. The pin is split in two so that it catches on a bar inside the fastening, and cannot be lost. Each half is decorated with four applied bosses, alternating pyramids and roofs, and applied wire rings and granules. The rim of each half has a flat border of twisted wires.
