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.

The use of ring brooches to fasten women’s traditional clothing is universal across the region and dates back to late Roman times. Most of these brooches are penannular in shape, like this one, with all the decoration lavished on the head of the pin. They were worn in pairs, usually linked together by a long chain threaded through the hole at the top of the pin, to hold the dress together, and were worn upside down, with the pin and the plain ring at the top, and the decorative head hanging down.

The design of this pin identifies it as coming from the Aurès region of Algeria. The jewellery of Aurès is much more austere than the better-known enamelled coral jewellery of the Kabyle region.