Dress ornament
Dress Ornament
1850-1860 (made)
1850-1860 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This modest hook was one of the first pieces of North African traditional jewellery to enter the V&A collections. It was described as a dress ornament which was said to have been worn as an emblem of virginity, and which pre-dated the French occupation of Algeria, when it was acquired in 1865.
Hooks like this were usually worn at the time to fasten or secure other pieces of jewellery. The name aqafa simply means hook.
Hooks like this were usually worn at the time to fasten or secure other pieces of jewellery. The name aqafa simply means hook.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Dress ornament (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Incised silver set with a blue paste |
| Brief description | Oval sheet silver dress hook (Aqafa) with incised decoration and a blue paste, Algeria, 1850-1860. |
| Physical description | Oval piece of sheet silver with incised geometric decoration on the front. At one end the silver is shaped backwards into a hook, and at the other it is curled forward to make a loop. There is a cylindrical mount in the centre containing a blue glass bead. |
| Dimensions |
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| Summary | This modest hook was one of the first pieces of North African traditional jewellery to enter the V&A collections. It was described as a dress ornament which was said to have been worn as an emblem of virginity, and which pre-dated the French occupation of Algeria, when it was acquired in 1865. Hooks like this were usually worn at the time to fasten or secure other pieces of jewellery. The name aqafa simply means hook. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 492-1865 |
About this object record
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| Record created | April 4, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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