Necklace (douggeh) of large silver filigree beads, Yemen, 1850-1900

Necklace of ten large open filigree beads with a pendant amulet case. There is a large conical terminal bead, decorated with applied filigree, at each end of the necklace, and three small beads, two made from pyramids of granules soldered together, either side of a third plain silver bead, between each of the large beads. At the centre of the necklace is a pendent cylindrical amulet case of open filigree, with a filigree rosette on its front and three leaf-shaped filigree pendants hanging from its lower edge. There are two small melon-shaped beads between the loops which attach the amulet case to the necklace. The necklace is strung on a cotton cord which is attached to two short lengths of chain, with a crude hook for fastening, at the far ends of the terminal beads.

In the 19th century, until their final exodus to Israel in the 1950s, Jewish goldsmiths made most of the silver jewellery in the Yemen. They were particularly renowned for the quality of their filigree work, which was worn and appreciated as much by Muslim as by Jewish women.

The main constituent of this type of necklace, described as a douggeh when it was acquired in 1909, are the large filigree beads. They are made of open filigree in this example, although beads of sheet silver with applied filigree or other decoration are also common. They were worn by both Jewish and Muslim women.

M.100-1909