Head Ornament
1860-1870 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Elaborate discs were worn as women’s head ornaments in towns and villages throughout the Ottoman Empire. They were attached to the top of a cap or fez, and often had pendants hanging down from the rim. The details varied from place to place.
This example was bought by the Museum at the International Exhibition, London in 1872 for seven shillings as an example of traditional Syrian jewellery. Although it appears very rich it is made of base metal coated in silver and then gold. Its name was given as ‘Kors tarboosh’, meaning a disc worn on the fez, when it was acquired. This Arabic expression was the name usually used in Egypt and Syria. In the Balkans and Anatolia the Turkish name tepelik, meaning a small mound, was more common.
This example was bought by the Museum at the International Exhibition, London in 1872 for seven shillings as an example of traditional Syrian jewellery. Although it appears very rich it is made of base metal coated in silver and then gold. Its name was given as ‘Kors tarboosh’, meaning a disc worn on the fez, when it was acquired. This Arabic expression was the name usually used in Egypt and Syria. In the Balkans and Anatolia the Turkish name tepelik, meaning a small mound, was more common.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silver-gilt plated metal decorated with filigree and set with red, green and clear pastes |
| Brief description | Silver-gilt plated filigree head ornament (tepelik) set with coloured pastes, Syria, 1860-1870. |
| Physical description | Convex disc made from metal plated first with silver and then gold. The centre is made from open filigree set with red, green and one clear facetted pastes with a plain border with grooves in pairs along its rim. There is a band of wire rings soldered to the border where it joins the filigree section. 12 of these rings have holes punched in their centres, in six pairs, for attachment. |
| Summary | Elaborate discs were worn as women’s head ornaments in towns and villages throughout the Ottoman Empire. They were attached to the top of a cap or fez, and often had pendants hanging down from the rim. The details varied from place to place. This example was bought by the Museum at the International Exhibition, London in 1872 for seven shillings as an example of traditional Syrian jewellery. Although it appears very rich it is made of base metal coated in silver and then gold. Its name was given as ‘Kors tarboosh’, meaning a disc worn on the fez, when it was acquired. This Arabic expression was the name usually used in Egypt and Syria. In the Balkans and Anatolia the Turkish name tepelik, meaning a small mound, was more common. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1559-1873 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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