Necklace or Headband
1850-1870 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Pieces of jewellery like this, with S-shaped elements strung closely together to make a choker, are part of the traditional costume in many places, from Algeria to Armenia. This particular one is most likely to be Armenian, as it was described when it was acquired. In North Africa these necklaces usually have long elaborate crescentic pendants, and in the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean they tend to have pendants made from coins, or sheet silver shapes. The hollow stamped pendants on this piece, shaped like ears of corn, but often fish-shaped, are typical of the necklaces worn in eastern Anatolia and the Caucasus. Necklaces in that region often have a prominent central plaque, sometimes set with a coloured paste, but this is a simpler form. These were worn across the forehead, as well as round the neck.
It was bought for ten shillings at the International Exhibition, London, 1872.
It was bought for ten shillings at the International Exhibition, London, 1872.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Stamped hollow silver elements on a band of red cloth |
Brief description | Choker necklace of decorative silver elements strung on a red ribbon, with similar pendants, Armenia, 1850-1870. |
Physical description | 38 S-shaped hollow silver slides and two shell-shaped terminals strung on a band of plaited red cloth. There is a loop at the bottom of each slide, from which hangs a hollow pendant shaped like an ear of corn, with a ring separating it from the slide. Six of the pendants have a further loop at their bottom. |
Dimensions |
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Association | |
Summary | Pieces of jewellery like this, with S-shaped elements strung closely together to make a choker, are part of the traditional costume in many places, from Algeria to Armenia. This particular one is most likely to be Armenian, as it was described when it was acquired. In North Africa these necklaces usually have long elaborate crescentic pendants, and in the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean they tend to have pendants made from coins, or sheet silver shapes. The hollow stamped pendants on this piece, shaped like ears of corn, but often fish-shaped, are typical of the necklaces worn in eastern Anatolia and the Caucasus. Necklaces in that region often have a prominent central plaque, sometimes set with a coloured paste, but this is a simpler form. These were worn across the forehead, as well as round the neck. It was bought for ten shillings at the International Exhibition, London, 1872. |
Collection | |
Accession number | 1414-1873 |
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Record created | April 15, 2003 |
Record URL |
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