Author
Books, articles, blogs
sharing stories
My books, articles and blogs
One of the ways I share the stories behind jewellery, is by writing. Something I love doing! Over the past 20 years, I have done a lot of writing: childrens’ books (age 8-12), handbooks for heritage management professionals, and books on archaeology and jewellery specifically for a wide audience. In the digital realm I create guest posts on blogs, website texts and e-books. I am also available for commissioned writing.
Here, you will find my books, articles and blogs: happy reading!
online writing
Articles and blogs
I often write for journals and magazines, both online and offline, as well as for other blogs. You will find lots of articles on silver jewellery from the Middle East on the Jewellery Blog on this website, and below is an overview of some of my online publications.
Scented adornment in North Africa and Southwest Asia – Garland Magazine
Bracelets in diffcult times: the importance of ordinary people’s stories – Ethnography.com
Age-old motifs in contemporary jewellery design – Art Jewelry Forum
Smell the Roses. The invisible side of personal adornment – Pink Jinn Blog
A series of regional posts on jewellery – The Zay Initiative
Silver Savings – Pink Jinn Blog
The Power of Henna – Arte & Lusso Magazine
Reading Vintage Jewellery – Arte & Lusso Magazine
Of Swords and Daggers – RAWI Magazine
Jewellery and ritual
Silver of the Possessed (2024)
In the 19th century an African possession cult called zār arrived in Egypt and became hugely popular. Jewellery formed an integral part of this cult, and silver pendants with images of spirits started to appear in the early 20th century. And there is more: zār also used beaded jewellery as well as a wide range of other jewels.
With collectors, curators, historians and ethnographers in mind, Silver of the Possessed places jewellery of the Egyptian zār in its cultural and historical context. A catalogue of previously unpublished jewellery in private collections illustrates the changes in this jewellery over the course of nearly a century, while the book itself addresses Egyptian zār jewellery from multiple angles.
The thesis contributes to a very relevant issue: decolonizing ethnography and museology. It does so by exploring the historical context and development in which zâr jewellery was used in rituals and by individual wearers of the jewellery (its ‘living history’). By also studying how the jewellery has been interpreted by outsiders, and shifts of interpretation therein, the author makes an original and important argument and critizes a western view which analysed the images in analogy to the depiction and meanings of Roman Catholic saint representations.
The thesis examines a highly interesting topic, taking an original approach to provide insights in the history and meaning of the zar through the lens of the silver jewellery worn by the possessed and the ritual specialists.
It has taken a large sample of silver jewellery, scattered over diverse museums, as its main basis while carefully explaining which objects should be included or not. The material objects are carefully approached, critically dispelling several easily reproduced understandings by collectors. Also, the historical written sources and “eye witness accounts” of scholars are assessed critically for Orientalist misrepresentations.
The thesis takes an original and multifaceted way of approaching the objects, raising interesting questions about the way the jewellery associated with the zar became separated from its original use; the re-use; alterations over time; and purposeful damage done to the object to reduce its power.
The world of fragrance
Silver & Frankincense (2020)
This book presents a unique exploration of a little-known, invisible aspect of traditional jewellery and adornment from the Arab world: scent. It delves into rituals, traditions and customs from many countries across this vast region to explore how scent is used in personal adornment. The book offers insights into the social and spiritual values of fragrance and shows many examples of material culture, from perfume jewellery to incensing devices.
Please note: this book is readily available, in contrast to what Amazon or other platforms may state. The button below gets you to the publisher directly: I do not sell books myself.
Silver & Frankincense is beautiful. The magenta font is genius! It evokes the joy of fragrance. The colors are perfect for scent! The writing is from the heart, personal and respectful and perfect for the subject. Such a brilliant idea to write about scent and personal adornment with its spiritual connections. This book follows from, and begets Sigrids work and deep understanding of meaning and jewelry.
On a personal note, I found this book healing. In a time of great fear, loss, vulnerability, helplessness, conflict, confusion and danger Sigrid brings love to her work, and that, like Frankincense inspires and heals!
Even though scent is an inherently invisible and elusive substance, the author succeeded in bringing it to life, giving it substance, and making it both visible and understandable to the reader. Her style of writing is clear yet illustrative, and her narrative is both scholarly and approachable.
This book is the perfect introduction to the role of scent in the Arab world. As with most perfumes it is contained in a small package, but its aroma and allure spread far beyond, carrying innuendos of past lives, spiritual values, and promises of future possibilities.
Understanding jewellery
Desert Silver (2017)
This is the fully revised and expanded 2017 edition of my book Desert Silver. This book introduces the context and long history of traditional silver jewellery of North Africa and Southwest Asia. Jewellery is more than just adornment: it functions as communicator, amulet and bank account. All of these capacities are discussed in this richly illustrated book, showing examples from the seaside trading ports of the Maghreb to the ancient caravan posts in Southwest Asia.
Please note: the 2011 edition of Desert Silver has sold out completely. This 2017 edition is readily available. The button below gets you to the publisher directly: I do not sell books myself.
If you know nothing about jewellery from the Arab world, you will find this a perfect introduction that will entice you to read and learn more, even to start your own collection. If you are already knowledgeable about Arab jewellery, this is a wonderful book to put it all into context and to understand the relevance and value of these items. If you own or wear Arab jewellery, this book is a celebration of your cultural treasures and your heritage.
I love Desert Silver, very readable, lots of info that I knew nothing about, but I love it the most because it shows commonly worn jewels rather than exquisite one of a kinds. Much like Silver Treasures by Marjorie Ransom.
writing for you
Commissioned writing
I am available for commissioned writing. I take maximum word count and deadlines very seriously, and can help you develop a complete book concept or guest author a chapter. Whether it is a coffee table book, a guest post on your blog or a magazine article, my contributions are well-researched and written in an engaging, lucid and fluid style. I have worked as professional editor and am familiar with the production process of books and periodicals – a background that will work to your advantage.