The traditional jewellery of the Syrian region, which incorporated much of Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon as well as Syria itself in the 19th century, shows influences from a wide range of sources, reflecting Syria’s strong trading traditions and central location. The jewellery worn in towns, which is often Ottoman in style, is frequently very different from that worn by the nomadic Bedouin, whose characteristic silver jewellery is much better known today.

This object, looking like a tiny earring, was made to wear in the nostril of the nose. Nose rings are part of the traditional jewellery in the Syrian region, where they are called ‘shnaf’. They were mainly worn by Bedouin rather than urban women and their use almost certainly pre-dates the arrival of Islam. This example was bought for one shilling and sixpence, for a pair, at the International Exhibition, London, in 1872, as an example of traditional Syrian jewellery. Its name was recorded as ‘khyawr’, which may represent confusion with the local Arabic name for the typical, and commonly worn, cylindrical amulet case, khiyar, which means ‘cucumber’.