Earring
1860-1870 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
These earrings, with a circular wire and hinged pendants with coral-coloured beads, are characteristic of traditional earrings throughout the Balkans. They are often linked by a chain. Sometimes this chain hung under the chin, but on other versions the chain was strung over the head, to support the earrings, or round the back of the head. These earrings may have been worn in the ear, but more probably were hooked into the headdress at either side of the face, with the chain attached to the headdress at the back by the hook in its centre, faced with a double-headed eagle. Cast plaques, with sharp hooks on the back, are often found in Balkan jewellery of all kinds. The little leaf-shaped pendants, which are eastern in origin, helped to protect the wearer from evil influences, as did the double-headed eagle, a Byzantine symbol which represented power.
They were bought for 18 shillings (the pair) at the International Exhibition, London, 1872.
They were bought for 18 shillings (the pair) at the International Exhibition, London, 1872.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Cast silver set with red pastes and red glass beads |
| Brief description | Pair of silver earrings with red glass pastes linked by a chain, Albania, 1860-1870. |
| Physical description | A pair of earrings linked by a long chain. Each earring consists of a ring of wire, with a strip of decorative sheet silver attached to its front edge. A pendant of cast elements, set with a red paste and hinged together with red glass beads, is attached to the ring by a hinge. There are three cast pendent drops hanging from its lower edge. The chain is made of figure-of-eight links, and has a small cast double-headed eagle, with a sharp hook on its back, attached at the centre. There are 16 comma-shaped pendants with a hole cut out of each, hanging from the chain, six close to the earring on each side, and two near the hook in the centre. |
| Dimensions |
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| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | These earrings, with a circular wire and hinged pendants with coral-coloured beads, are characteristic of traditional earrings throughout the Balkans. They are often linked by a chain. Sometimes this chain hung under the chin, but on other versions the chain was strung over the head, to support the earrings, or round the back of the head. These earrings may have been worn in the ear, but more probably were hooked into the headdress at either side of the face, with the chain attached to the headdress at the back by the hook in its centre, faced with a double-headed eagle. Cast plaques, with sharp hooks on the back, are often found in Balkan jewellery of all kinds. The little leaf-shaped pendants, which are eastern in origin, helped to protect the wearer from evil influences, as did the double-headed eagle, a Byzantine symbol which represented power. They were bought for 18 shillings (the pair) at the International Exhibition, London, 1872. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1431-1873 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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