Author
Unknown
Publication Date
1860
Publication Place
Syria (made) -
Subject
Jewellery Metalwork
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
Length: 35cm
Library
Victoria and Albert Museum
Library Asset ID
1547-1873
Record ID
1547-1873
Library Location
Middle East Section
Date
1860
Notes
The traditional jewellery of the Syrian region, which incorporated much of Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon as well as Syria itself in the 19th century, shows influences from a wide range of sources, reflecting Syriaâs strong trading traditions and central location. The jewellery worn in towns, which is often Ottoman in style, is frequently very different from that worn by the nomadic Bedouin, whose characteristic silver jewellery is much better known today. This chain belongs to the urban tradition. The pendants were described as zrar fuddah or âbuttons for the waistcoatâ when it was acquired in 1872. These buttons, made from bullion thread more often than silver, were worn on the waistcoat or jacket of male Ottoman dress throughout the empire up to the First World War. In Turkey and the Middle East silver examples were often added to chains, like this, to make a womanâs necklace. The words zrar fuddah simply mean âsilver buttonsâ in Arabic. This example was bought for five shillings and six pence at the International Exhibition, London, in 1872, as an example of traditional Syrian jewellery.
Malzemeler ve teknikler
Silver chain with silver filigree pendants Silver Copper Filigree
Fiziksel açıklama
Silver loop-in-loop chain with 15 pendent filigree buttons. The buttons are spherical, made from two domed rosettes joined by a band of beaded and twisted wire, with a shank made from wire wound in a tight spiral. Each is lined on the inside at the top and bottom with a piece of sheet copper.
