Bangle
Earring
1850-1899 (made)
1850-1899 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The traditional jewellery of the Berber tribes of North Africa is almost always made of silver in heavy, clearly-defined shapes. Although individual pieces rarely date back any earlier than the 19th century, the designs are very old, and European observers liked to find traces of Roman or Phoenician influence.
Earrings in the 19th century were particularly large, and are sometimes mistaken for bangles today. Plain hoops like this, decorated only with numerous silver marks, are typical of Libya, but were also worn in Tunisia and the western oases of Egypt such as Siwa. The name teklila means ‘to hang’.
Earrings in the 19th century were particularly large, and are sometimes mistaken for bangles today. Plain hoops like this, decorated only with numerous silver marks, are typical of Libya, but were also worn in Tunisia and the western oases of Egypt such as Siwa. The name teklila means ‘to hang’.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Bangle (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Silver decorated with punched silver marks |
| Brief description | Silver hoop earring (Teklila) decorated with Arabic silver marks, Libya, 1850-1899. |
| Physical description | Heavy silver hoop earring made from a length of round section silver narrowing to form a hook at one end and a loop at the other, with the end which forms the loop wrapped round the hoop several times. The centre of the hoop is flattened slightly and is decorated on the flattened section with four Arabic silver marks. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
|
| Credit line | Given by Miss D. Monnington |
| Summary | The traditional jewellery of the Berber tribes of North Africa is almost always made of silver in heavy, clearly-defined shapes. Although individual pieces rarely date back any earlier than the 19th century, the designs are very old, and European observers liked to find traces of Roman or Phoenician influence. Earrings in the 19th century were particularly large, and are sometimes mistaken for bangles today. Plain hoops like this, decorated only with numerous silver marks, are typical of Libya, but were also worn in Tunisia and the western oases of Egypt such as Siwa. The name teklila means ‘to hang’. |
| Bibliographic reference | For similar, see:
Alberini, Elena Schenone, 'Libyan Jewellery - A journey through symbols', Araldo de Luca, Italy, 1998, p.39 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.36-1971 |
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| Record created | April 2, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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