Earring
1859-1899 (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 like these are typical of the Aurès region of Algeria, although they were also worn in neighbouring Tunisia. Their distinctive pattern, with short tabs like cogs sticking out from the lower rim, had gone out of use by the beginning of the 20th century.
Earrings like these are typical of the Aurès region of Algeria, although they were also worn in neighbouring Tunisia. Their distinctive pattern, with short tabs like cogs sticking out from the lower rim, had gone out of use by the beginning of the 20th century.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Silver, beaten, chased, incised |
| Brief description | Pair of large flat silver hoop earrings (Timsharfin) with a pierced plaque in the centre, Aurès (Algeria), 1859-1899. |
| Physical description | Pair of large silver hoop earrings. The wire has a flattened section at each end with a hole in the centre. The lower half of the hoop is filled with a pierced design in sheet silver, chased on the front, with three stylised sprays projecting up into the central space, and seven tabs projecting down from the lower rim. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Bequeathed by Edmond Dresden |
| Object history | Accessions register entry: 'Pair of Earrings of silver, beaten and chased. / The lower part of each consists of a plate, pierced with holes, cut into lobes round the edge, and roughly chased with bands of herring-bone and other ornament. A large wire loop is attached to one end of the plate and curves over to meet the other end where it is flattened and pierced for fastening. Stamped with modern French marks. / North African / Each, H. 5 3/4 in., W. 4 13/16 in.' |
| 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 like these are typical of the Aurès region of Algeria, although they were also worn in neighbouring Tunisia. Their distinctive pattern, with short tabs like cogs sticking out from the lower rim, had gone out of use by the beginning of the 20th century. |
| Bibliographic reference | For maker, see:
Eudel, Paul, 'L'Orfévrerie algérienne et tunisienne', Alger, A. Jourdan, 1902, page 141. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 313&A-1904 |
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| Record created | April 4, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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