The most common symbols in Middle Eastern jewellery and their meanings

The most common symbols in Middle Eastern jewellery and their meanings

by | Magic & Amulets

meaning of jewellery

The most common symbols in Middle Eastern jewellery

Published October 1, 2025

Middle Eastern jewellery is full of symbols: hands, eyes, triangles, scroll boxes, and even sound. These motifs are not random decoration. They are closely related to beliefs about protection, presence, fertility, and beauty. Across centuries, they shaped how people expressed identity and navigated uncertainty.

In this overview — part of my series on amulets and symbols in jewellery — we’ll explore the most common motifs, from the protective khamsa hand to the jingling sound of dangling ornaments, and what they are believed to mean. Each of these symbols is discussed in detail in separate blog posts, and here you’ll find them brought together as a helpful reference.

How symbols in Middle Eastern jewellery work

A symbol in jewellery can take the form of a shape, a gesture, an object or even a sound. Many of these are what scholars call “apotropaic”: they serve to ward off harm, especially from the evil eye. Some are amulets (worn to protect), others talismans (meant to bring benefit). But categories blur. What matters is how these forms function in the lives of the people who wore them.

Let’s look at some of the most recognisable ones!

The khamsa hand symbol in Middle Eastern jewellery

One of the most iconic forms is the hand-shaped pendant, often called the khamsa. The word means ‘five’  in Arabic, referring to the five fingers of the hand. In some regions, it’s also known as the Hand of Fatima or Hand of Miriam, depending on local traditions. This symbol is widespread across North Africa and the Middle East.

The khamsa is believed to offer protection against the evil eye, partly because of its association with the number five—a number often invoked to deflect envy and misfortune.

See a full exploration into the khamsa amulet here!

A bright blue eye.
Modern eye beads in all colours, looking like a jumble of candy.

The eye symbol and Evil Eye protection in jewellery

Eye motifs are found throughout the region. They can be represented as single beads, painted discs, or glass objects like the Khalili eye beads of Hebron. These often consist of concentric circles, with a dark centre meant to resemble a staring eye.

The idea behind the eye motif is a reversal: using an eye to protect against the evil eye. It reflects the gaze back to the sender, neutralising harm. Such beads are often used in jewellery, stitched into clothing, or hung in homes and shops.

Learn more about the various types of eye beads!

Triangles in jewellery

Triangles are a frequent shape in jewellery. In some interpretations, the triangle symbolises femininity, fertility or even the womb, due to its downward-pointing shape.

Others suggest that the triangle’s three points may represent concepts like birth-life-death or body-mind-spirit. However, meanings vary widely, and sometimes geometric shapes may function simply because they are so old, that their original meaning has become blurred.

See the full story of triangular amulets here!

Amulet containers in Middle Eastern jewellery: hirz

Jewellery often serves as a container itself. Amulet containers, such as cylindrical scroll tubes or small boxes known as hirz or taʿwīdh, are designed to hold protective texts. These might be verses from the Qur’an, prayers, names of God, or even folk remedies written on paper.

The act of wearing the word – literally – is central here. These containers are often elaborately worked in silver, with filigree, engraving or colourful accents, and worn on the chest, upper arm, or integrated into necklaces.

Learn where they get their shape from in this article!

A vintage silver earspoon from Afghanistan against a black background. The earspoon has two sets of tiny bells on either side, and is decorated with red, green and blue glass. Below the image is a caption, clearly listing the photo credentials. The caption reads: Silver earspoon from Afghanistan. Collection Qilada Foundation. Photo by Sigrid van Roode'.

Sound and protection: the symbolism in jingling jewellery

Many traditional earrings, headpieces and necklaces feature chains, bells or dangling elements that make sound. And that has its reasons, too! These jingling dangles are not just decorative: their sound is believed to protect, especially young children or brides. The noise serves as a sonic barrier against invisible harm.

Learn more about the symbolism of sound in jewellery!

Frequently Asked Questions about symbolism in Middle Eastern jewellery

What are the most common symbols in Middle Eastern jewellery?
Some of the most widespread motifs include the khamsa hand, the eye against the evil eye, triangular shapes, amulet containers, and jingling sound elements.

Why does jewellery use protective symbols?
Many of these motifs are apotropaic, meaning they were believed to protect the wearer from harm or misfortune. They offered comfort, identity, and a sense of safety.

What does the khamsa hand symbolise?
The khamsa, or hand of Fatima/Miriam, is a five-fingered hand shape that wards off the evil eye and misfortune. It is worn as pendants, earrings, or integrated into amulet sets.

How does the eye motif work in jewellery?
The eye is thought to reflect back the harmful gaze of envy. Beads, pendants, and ornaments shaped like eyes are worn to neutralise the power of the evil eye.

What is the role of sound in jewellery?
Chains, bells, and dangles in earrings and necklaces create jingling sounds that are believed to protect, especially children and brides. 

Reading the symbols in Middle Eastern jewellery

The hand that wards off envy, the eye that stares back, the triangle that shapes protection, the box that holds a prayer, the jingle that keeps harm away: each of these symbols shows how jewellery in the Middle East is more than adornment. It is a protective language, worn on the body and passed down through generations.

This article is part of my series on amulets and symbols in jewellery, where each motif is explored in more detail in its own post. Taken together, they form a reference for anyone curious about how meaning is built into jewellery — a reminder that jewellery is an expression of our deepest hopes and fears, and as such, an expression of what it means to be human.

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The Bedouin Silver blog gives credit where credit is due! Transparent referencing and citing sources helps us all grow. Would you like to do the same and quote this article? Here’s how:

S. van Roode, [write the title as you see it above this post], published on the Bedouin Silver website [paste the exact link to this article], accessed on [the date you are reading this article and decided it was useful for you].

The Bedouin Silver Jewellery Blog: Sigrid van Roode

Sigrid van Roode is an archeologist, ethnographer and jewellery historian. Her main field of expertise is jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia, as well as archaeological and archaeological revival jewellery. She has authored several books on jewellery, and obtained her PhD at Leiden University on jewellery, informal ritual and collections. Sigrid has lectured for the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, Turquoise Mountain Jordan, and many others. She provides consultancy and research on jewellery collections for both museums and private collections, teaches courses and curates exhibitions. She is not involved in the business of buying and selling jewellery, and focuses on research, knowledge production, and education only. Sigrid strongly believes in accessibility of knowledge, and aims to provide reliable and trustworthy content: that’s why the Bedouin Silver blog provides references and citations.

Mermaid imagery in Egyptian amulets: protection & meaning

Mermaid imagery in Egyptian amulets: protection & meaning

by | Magic & Amulets

Water spirits

Mermaid imagery in Egyptian amulets: protection & meaning

Updated September 14, 2025

The terrifying truth behind mermaid imagery! At the end of the 19th century, silver amulets with images of mermaids were widely available in Egypt’s jewellery souks. In Egyptian folklore, water spirits and protective amulets went hand in hand: images of mermaids were believed to guard against illness, child mortality, and misfortune. Their blend of folklore, protection, and jewellery makes mermaid imagery on amulets especially fascinating. Why were these so popular, and what world hides behind the use of these things?

Water spirits, the Nile, and mermaid beliefs in Egyptian folklore

Obviously, the Nile has always been a defining factor for Egypt. It’s a bit of a cliché, but Egypt would not exist without the river. Up until the construction of the Aswan Dam in 1902, Egypt was dependent upon the yearly flooding of the river to deposit fertile soil on the banks of the Nile, and much of daily life on the river banks was connected to it. This vital significance has resulted in many gods, water spirits, ceremonies and rituals being associated with the Nile from Pharaonic times up until the present.

There are tons of water spirits in both ancient and contemporary folklore tales, and in this article, I’d like to zoom in on the mermaids. Because these are not as friendly and pretty as their depictions would have you believe!

Disease, child mortality and mermaid amulets

As early as 1916, Meyerhof brings up that water spirits are much feared as a source of disease. [1] You only need to look at the reality of Nile floodings to see how much truth there is in this statement: although the flood deposited much-needed soil for agriculture, when the water slowly withdrew, pools of stagnant water with rotting plants were an ideal environment for rats, mosquitoes and other creatures that spread disease.

And that is where the mermaids come in. This same author lists the mermaid Safīna right along with the Qarina in the category of female ‘demons’. Specifically, he notes that she is, again much like the Qarina, responsible for harm brought upon children.

This fear of mermaids killing children was very persistent in Cairo. Drieskens even records recent Cairene belief in a mermaid living in the Nile, determined to kill people: the negative associations attached to the mermaid apparently still linger.[2]

That fear was based both in drowning, and in disease: water-borne diseases such as salmonella, cholera, typhoid fever and parasitic infections affected children under the age of 5 signifcantly. [3]

As with anything that threatens children, here again reverse magic is practiced, too: mermaids were also assumed to help in cases of infertility – if they felt like it. Water spirits are extremely capricious, and can’t really be trusted.

The same ambivalence and connection to fertility beliefs can be seen in Nigerian river spirit Mami Wata and Moroccan water spirit Lalla Aicha Bahriya.

Mermaid imagery on Egyptian silver amulets: form, function, symbol

So, what about those amulets? At the end of the 19th and early 20th century, mermaid imagery often occurred on amulets. These were made in silver, readily available and were meant to protect the wearer from Safīna. [4] The mermaid amulets exist in various forms: embossed, pear-shaped amulets with a mermaid, the image of a mermaid engraved in a pendant, or as appliques to be sewn on to clothing.

Most of the time, the mermaids are depicted as we know them: a female with the tail of a fish. They are adorned with jewellery, hold lotus flowers or papyrus stalks, and look much friendlier than they are. That is also a form of magic: by depicting these scary creatures as beautiful and friendly, perhaps they would turn into benign beings….there’s always hope!

But: not all of them look pleasant. A few early pendants show mermaids with bald heads, or only a few strands of hair. They look considerably more terrifying in comparison to the well-coiffed mermaids that form the majority of the amulets.

Visualizing water spirits: mermaid amulets as reflection of everyday Egyptian life

The appearance of mermaid imagery in Egyptian amulets is more than a decorative flourish. It reflects a wider system of folk belief, protection, and everyday symbolism. The whimsical and volatile nature of the river spirits mirrors the realities of living with a river that has the power to nurture, but also to kill.

And when you look at amulets as a reflection of that everyday reality, this is where the true stories begin to unfold themselves. These amulets gave visible form to concerns about disease, fertility, and the dangers of the Nile: a simple silver piece of jewellery with a mermaid engraving carried with it a whole world of meaning — at once amulet, ornament, and expression of belief. I think that is the greatest power they have!

Amulets and charms in jewellery: learn to decode jewellery yourself!

If you are intrigued by the history, meaning, and traditions behind amuletic jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia, an in-depth exploration awaits! The online course on Amulets & Charms delves into the fascinating world of talismans, charms, and protective adornments, offering detailed insights into their cultural contexts and historical significance. Whether you are a collector, a jewellery enthusiast, or simply curious, this course provides the tools to deepen your understanding and appreciation.

Click here to see more, and enroll today to uncover the hidden stories behind these remarkable objects – you could be watching the first episode in 10 minutes from now!

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Find out more about the symbolism of jewellery in the e-courses!

More posts on amulets, charms and magic? Browse them all here!

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References

[1] Meyerhof 1916, p. 317-318 (and see also p. 314)

[2] Drieskens 2008, p. 102

[3] El-Kowrany, S. et al. 2016. See the article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090123215001137

[4] Meyerhof 1916, p. 319.

The Bedouin Silver blog gives credit where credit is due! Transparent referencing and citing sources helps us all grow. Would you like to do the same and quote this article? Here’s how:

S. van Roode, [write the title as you see it above this post], published on the Bedouin Silver website [paste the exact link to this article], accessed on [the date you are reading this article and decided it was useful for you].

The Bedouin Silver Jewellery Blog: Sigrid van Roode

Sigrid van Roode is an archeologist, ethnographer and jewellery historian. Her main field of expertise is jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia, as well as archaeological and archaeological revival jewellery. She has authored several books on jewellery, and obtained her PhD at Leiden University on jewellery, informal ritual and collections. Sigrid has lectured for the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, Turquoise Mountain Jordan, and many others. She provides consultancy and research on jewellery collections for both museums and private collections, teaches courses and curates exhibitions. She is not involved in the business of buying and selling jewellery, and focuses on research, knowledge production, and education only. Sigrid strongly believes in accessibility of knowledge, and aims to provide reliable and trustworthy content: that’s why the Bedouin Silver blog provides references and citations.

What is an amulet in jewellery? Meaning and tradition

What is an amulet in jewellery? Meaning and tradition

by | Magic & Amulets

Amulets and charms

What is an amulet in jewellery? Meaning and tradition

Published Feb 5, 2025

When you have been following this blog for a while, you know that the use of jewellery in informal ritual is one of my main research themes. Jewellery is so powerful when it has the role of amulet! But what is an amulet, exactly…? And what forms can it take? Let’s dive into that in this blog!

In this post, I’ll explore what amulets are, how they function in jewellery, and the many forms they take — from silver cases with inscriptions, to stones like carnelian or turquoise, to simple objects gathered from meaningful places. This blog is a great starting point for my wider exploration of amulets in jewellery traditions across North Africa and Southwest Asia, as it lays the foundation for understanding the world of amulets. At the end of this article, I’ll wrap everything up in a FAQ-section.

What is an amulet? Definitions and cultural meanings

Basically, an amulet is an object that is believed to provide protection, good fortune, or other benefits to its wearer. The word “amulet” derives from the Latin amuletum, which historically referred to an object worn to safeguard against harm.

They go by many names in the region: hirz, higāb, taweez or telsim are just a few of the indications for an amulet. [1] Amulets can take many forms, including inscriptions, gemstones, metals, or organic materials.

While their function varies across different traditions, the common thread is their role as a source of protection and well-being.

Amulets in jewellery: general forms and protective symbols

These objects are part of a longstanding tradition, where materials, shapes, and inscriptions are believed to offer protection, bring blessings, and keep evil away. And that long tradition is, in some cases, so old, that their meaning has changed over time.

Throughout history, specific symbols have persisted in jewellery designs, often without people fully remembering their original meanings. The triangle, for example, appears in numerous regional traditions. It may signify stability, fertility, or protection, depending on the cultural and historical context.

This post about the origin of the triangle shape shows you an example of how that works!

Dots, waves, and geometric patterns are also widespread, and while interpretations vary, their continued use indicates a shared understanding of their beneficial properties. Such motifs are deeply embedded in the visual language of jewellery, passed down through generations as carriers of protection and good fortune.

Amulets with inscriptions: Qur’anic verses and protective texts

What comes to mind often as the first thing when talking about amulets, are pieces containing inscriptions—verses from religious texts, prayers, or symbols created by practitioners skilled in their craft. These talismans are often written on parchment or metal, folded, and enclosed within amulet containers.

See more about those, and the history hidden in their shape, in this blog.

The inscriptions may include verses from the Qur’an, invocations for protection, or numerical and geometric configurations believed to protect. Such inscriptions are considered deeply personal and are rarely shared or displayed openly.

Should you open amulet containers…? Read more about that here!

But there is much, much more in jewellery that may function as an amulet.

Silver, stones, and organic materials in amuletic jewellery

The choice of material is another key factor in amuletic jewellery. Certain stones and metals are believed to hold inherent protective properties.

Silver, for example, is widely used for its association with purity and its supposed ability to ward off harm. Carnelian, turquoise, and amber are frequently incorporated into rings, necklaces, and bracelets due to their perceived protective and healing properties.

Organic materials, such as coral or specific animal parts, are also sometimes used, reflecting an understanding of the natural world as a source of power and protection.

Continuity and change in amulet traditions over time

The thing is, those capacities attributed to materials change significantly over time and per place. So, what may be important in one timeframe, may not carry the same meaning three centuries later, or 20 kilometres away. The power of amulets changes along with its humans, and while these traditions have deep historical roots, they continue to evolve.

They are also prone to commercialisation and marketing: see this article on why pink eye beads really are not a thing!

Understanding the cultural context of jewellery and amulets is crucial if you want to catch a glimpse of the lives of their wearers.

Locality and place: how geography shapes amulets in jewellery

That context sometimes is the literal, actual context of the person who once wore a piece of jewellery. And that is when it gets even more interesting: when we’re looking at materials that seem totally insignificant of themselves. Like pebbles, pieces of flint, a twig of a tree…what could possibly be the value in that, and how would we know? The significance of an amulet is often rooted in local geography: in many traditions, an object gains its power not only from its shape or material but from its origin.

A ritual specialist may prescribe that a piece of flint or a twig must be gathered from a specific location—perhaps a wadi, a mountain pass, or near an ancient well—because that place is believed to hold particular energy or spiritual potency.

This connection between amulets and their place of origin reflects a broader belief that land, history, and spirituality are intertwined. For those who wear these objects, the amulets serve as reminders of their place in the world and the protective forces believed to be inherent in their surroundings.

That is a most beautiful form of connection, and one that is most difficult to interpret for cultural outsiders, too. Sometimes, we are left with nothing more than what looks like a simple pebble, that once meant to world to someone. And when we only look at jewellery as adornment, something as worthless as a regular pebble gets discarded or deselected – its personal and cultural value goes unrecognised.

Frequently Asked Questions about amulets in jewellery

Q: What is an amulet in jewellery?
An amulet in jewellery is an object worn for protection, good fortune, or spiritual benefit. It can take any form imagineable, from religious texts to meaningful objects.

Q: How are amulets different from charms or talismans?
That depends on which definition is used. Broadly speaking, a charm often attracts good luck, while a talisman is made to bring about a specific effect. An amulet is usually worn to protect its wearer from harm or negative forces.

Q: What materials are used for amulets in jewellery?
A wide range of stones such as carnelian, turquoise, and amber, each valued for their individual properties; organic materials such as coral or wood; specific metals such as gold, silver, iron and aluminium for particular circumstances; and any and all materials that hold meaning to the wearer.

Q: Do amulet traditions change over time?
Yes. The meaning and use of amulets vary across regions and periods. A stone or shape that carried power in one century or location might mean something different elsewhere. There is no one-size-fits-all explanation for amulets.

Conclusion: what is an amulet in jewellery?

This short exploration has shown you that everything can be an amulet. Literally everything. Whether it is, depends on so many factors: its material, its symbolism, its cultural context, the process through which it became an amulet, and its importance to its wearer.

I think you may be able to relate to that: we all have that one thing, that ‘lucky charm’ that we carry with us during job interviews or when we travel. It does not even have to be jewellery, it can be a pair of socks, even…but when it makes us feel safer, comforts us or brings us happiness, it is effectively an amulet. But when that pair of socks ends up in the laundry after your trip, can anyone  tell their specific importance they hold, but you yourself?

This ‘extra’ use is one of the things that makes jewellery much more than an accessory. It is a repository of cultural memory, identity, spiritual belief, and protective symbolism. Amulets in jewellery are not a side story — they are at the very heart of how jewellery functions in culture.

In North Africa and Southwest Asia, amuletic jewellery has played an essential role in everyday life for a very long time. Jewellery shaped both personal and communal identity, functioned as portable asset, and served protective and symbolic functions simultaneously. I love that multifaceted nature of jewellery!

Amulets and charms in jewellery: learn to decode jewellery yourself!

If you are intrigued by the history, meaning, and traditions behind amuletic jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia, an in-depth exploration awaits! The online course on Amulets & Charms delves into the fascinating world of talismans, charms, and protective adornments, offering detailed insights into their cultural contexts and historical significance. Whether you are a collector, a jewellery enthusiast, or simply curious, this course provides the tools to deepen your understanding and appreciation.

Click here to see more, and enroll today to uncover the hidden stories behind these remarkable objects – you could be watching the first episode in 10 minutes from now!

—

Find out more about the symbolism of jewellery in the e-courses!

More posts on amulets, charms and magic? Browse them all here!

Join the Jewellery List and receive new articles, jewellery news and more in your inbox!

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References

[1] See Garcia Probert 2021, p. 55 for a discussion

The Bedouin Silver blog gives credit where credit is due! Transparent referencing and citing sources helps us all grow. Would you like to do the same and quote this article? Here’s how:

S. van Roode, [write the title as you see it above this post], published on the Bedouin Silver website [paste the exact link to this article], accessed on [the date you are reading this article and decided it was useful for you].

The Bedouin Silver Jewellery Blog: Sigrid van Roode

Sigrid van Roode is an archeologist, ethnographer and jewellery historian. Her main field of expertise is jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia, as well as archaeological and archaeological revival jewellery. She has authored several books on jewellery, and obtained her PhD at Leiden University on jewellery, informal ritual and collections. Sigrid has lectured for the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, Turquoise Mountain Jordan, and many others. She provides consultancy and research on jewellery collections for both museums and private collections, teaches courses and curates exhibitions. She is not involved in the business of buying and selling jewellery, and focuses on research, knowledge production, and education only. Sigrid strongly believes in accessibility of knowledge, and aims to provide reliable and trustworthy content: that’s why the Bedouin Silver blog provides references and citations.

Czech glass pendants with Arabic script

Czech glass pendants with Arabic script

by | Magic & Amulets

Western glass for the muslim world

Glass amulets with Arabic script

Updates August 22, 2024

Looking at a very specific type of amulet in this blog post: the pressed glass plaquettes inscribed with what looks like Arabic calligraphy. Are those texts even real? And how old are these?

Glass amulets with Arabic text: their shape and origin

Let’s look at their shape first. This is similar to much older pendants that were popular in for example Iran and India. In the gallery above, you’ll see an example from Iran which dates to the 18th century. It carries writing on both sides. The other example is a jade pendant from India, also densely inscribed, which even older: it dates to the 17th century.

Plaquettes of similar shape, dating to the late 1800’s, are in the collection of the British Museum, and all seem to point to the Shi’ite realm in their texts. [1] So this shape is one that was familiar to many people, notably (but not exclusively!) Shia muslims.

Glass pendants with Arabic text: Western production

The glass amulets with what looks like Arabic script, as you see above, are much newer. They have been produced widely in the Western world, with the aim of selling these to the Islamic world. Like in so many other cases, these companies created objects that were already known and popular, but offered them in larger quantities than ever before: mass production processes flooded the markets and, very often, upended local economies.

One of the companies that created these was Sachse & Co., who specialised in glass objects for trade around the world. They created not just beads and pendants for the Islamic world, but also, for example, imitations of teeth and bone for the trade with Oceania – and much more.

In the late 1800s, when these glass pendants were produced, Jablonec, the town where the company was located, was still part of Austria and known as Gablonz. [2] The light blue, translucent pendant that I’m holding in the photo above carries the text Czechoslovakia – thus establishing their date of production at least after 1918 and before 1938. Nowadays, this is known as the Czech Republic.

Glass pendants with Arabic text: where and how were they used?

Glass amulets with Arabic text were used in a variety of ways. One of its uses that I really love, is mentioned by Barbara Black Koltuv. She describes how clear glass amulets of this type, which she purchased in Jerusalem, were attached to Bayer aspirin bottles: surely, aspirins would work if encouraged by the name of God! [3] I have reached out the Bayer company archive to enquire if this practice was known to them. It was not, so I believe that these were attached to the bottles in the Middle East itself by entrepreneurial sellers.

Another one of these amulets was strung on cord much like jewellery from Rajasthan in India, and worn as a necklace. You’ll see it in the gallery below: compare the stringing to that of the antique jade pendant from India above. In fact, a few of the examples in the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford have labels attached specifying where they were traded to, like Singapore [4].

But their use was not limited to the eastern Mediterranean and further east, such as Iran, India, Singapore or Indonesia. One such pendant was part of an amulet obtained in Algeria in 1906. Interestingly, this was part of a set consisting of one coral bead, two cowrie shells, one green glass bead and a black glass bead decorated with two bands, painted in gold. [5]

Glass pendants with Arabic calligraphy: what does it say?

This is where it gets more complicated. Because not all of these amulets actually carry legible text, but some of them absolutely do! And whether or not they do is confusing, to museum curators and speakers of Arabic alike.

See the two examples above (click to enlarge the images): the blue amulet reads Hasbi Allah, meaning ‘God Suffices’, or ‘God is enough for me’. Try this with your online translation app, and it will most likely come back with a legible result. Now the pendant next to it is the same, but is labelled with ‘bogus inscription’. This one, too, reads ‘God Suffices’, but the first letter is drawn slightly different: there is more of a downward line. That also goes for the third pendant, where the first letter looks like a single diagonal line.

For the dark blue pendant with elaborate calligraphy as shown above in the first gallery, I reached out to the community and wow, what an amazing response! Hatem Arafa, who is a calligraphy artist and designer based in Turkey, and Youmna Elsabry, an Egyptian jewellery designer,  explained to me what it says: ‘What God willed [has occurred], there is no power except in God’, a reading conformed by many others. [6]

Glass pendants with text: how old are these?

Going over the examples in museums and those available in the trade today, it seems these glass plaquettes of a form originally associated with Shi’ite pendants were created up until the Interbellum. Incredibly important here is the acquisition date of objects, as that shows you when these things became available on the market, when they were at the peak of their availability, and when they ceased to be offered.

A quick overview shows that the glass amulets with the most elaborate inscriptions (such as the dark blue example above) have been collected at the beginning of the 19th century, and those with simpler forms (like the one I am holding above) seem to have been produced up until the 1930s. They do not seem to appear later – of course, the popular beads known as ‘hajj beads’ continued to be produced, but these are of a very different shape.

This blog will be continued with an article on Czech glass hajj beads and their use!

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References

[1] Porter, V. 2011. Arabic and Persian Seals and Amulets in the British Museum, p. 154.

[2] As researched here by Pitt Rivers Museum.

[3] Black Koltuv, B. 2005. Amulets, Talismans and Magical Jewelry. A Way to the Unseen, Ever-Present, Almighty God. Nicholas-Hays, Berwick, p. 135.

[4] Accession number 1900.27.17. See it here.

[5] Accession number 1985.50.1050. See it here.

[6] See the comments on this Instagram post, where I asked the community for their insights and several people responded.

The Bedouin Silver blog gives credit where credit is due! Transparent referencing and citing sources helps us all grow. Would you like to do the same and quote this article? Here’s how:

S. van Roode, [write the title as you see it above this post], published on the Bedouin Silver website [paste the exact link to this article], accessed on [the date you are reading this article and decided it was useful for you].

The Bedouin Silver Jewellery Blog: Sigrid van Roode

Sigrid van Roode is an archeologist, ethnographer and jewellery historian. Her main field of expertise is jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia, as well as archaeological and archaeological revival jewellery. She has authored several books on jewellery, and obtained her PhD at Leiden University on jewellery, informal ritual and collections. Sigrid has lectured for the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, Turquoise Mountain Jordan, and many others. She provides consultancy and research on jewellery collections for both museums and private collections, teaches courses and curates exhibitions. She is not involved in the business of buying and selling jewellery, and focuses on research, knowledge production, and education only. Sigrid strongly believes in accessibility of knowledge, and aims to provide reliable and trustworthy content: that’s why the Bedouin Silver blog provides references and citations.

Triangular amulets: symbolism and jewellery traditions in the Middle East

Triangular amulets: symbolism and jewellery traditions in the Middle East

by | Magic & Amulets

The meaning of triangles

Triangular amulets: symbolism and jewellery traditions in the Middle East

Updated October 1, 2025

Amulets come in many forms, and one of the most familiar is the triangular amulet. Found in jewellery across the Middle East and North Africa, these pieces combine shape, symbolism, and protection. The triangle itself has long been understood as a powerful form, associated with balance, fertility, and strength.

In this blog, part of my series on amulets in jewellery, we’ll look at how triangular amulets appear in silver, beads, textiles, and more — and what they might have meant to the people who wore them.

The symbolism of triangles in amulets and jewellery

Where does the triangle shape of amulets come from? As this is a very ancient symbol, its exact origin is difficult to pinpoint. It may be connected to phenomena in the natural world, such as the sun breaking through clouds, or a stylization of a mountain.

Both are associated with otherworldly realms: the rays of sun are interpreted as a stairway to heaven in some cultures, and mountains are known as places where gateways to other worlds may be located.

Apart from its physical shape, the triangle also carries symbolic value. It represents the constellation of man-woman-child, or the cycle of birth-life-death. Those symbolic values are also echoed in the number 3: see more about numerical values in jewellery here.

The most important thing to remember, I think, is that there is not just one open-and-shut explanation for what a triangle represents. It is not just one and the same thing to every culture that has ever walked this earth. For example, in some cultures, the triangle may also represent a stylized female wearing a dress – or could it be the other way around, that the dress is exaggerated as a triangle precisely because of its symbolic properties?

I’m usually wary of claims for any shape as representing one thing only. The reality of informal ritual and human associations is much more fluid and prone to changes, so instead, I’d suggest we all keep an open mind to the possibility of other explanations.

What we do know, is that the triangle is an important shape, and so you’ll find it in numerous amulets. Let’s look at some examples next! Here, I’ll go into actual amulets, objects designed to keep a person safe or attract good luck – triangles are worked into jewellery as design element in a million ways, but that’s for another blog!

Triangular amulets of gold and silver as containers

One form in which you’ll find triangular amulets, is as an amulet container made of precious metal. These are designed to hold either specific texts, or substances such as incense and herbs. They form part of a complete repertoire of amulet containers: Learn more about amulet containers and their surprising origin in this article.

You’ll find them incorporated into jewellery or worn on their own, executed in gold or silver, or maybe in less precious materials – triangles form a very recognizable form of amulet.

Beaded, textile and leather triangular amulets for protection

The triangle shape is also often used to create amulets that contain something, but that cannot be opened. These more like pouches, and what is contained in them, is often only known to wearer, or even only to the person who made the amulet: the wearer may just have to trust in their craft and knowledge.

These are also worn in jewellery, like the necklace above in the British Museum shows (click to enlarge it). Here, you’ll see a red fabric triangular amulet along with other materials that are known to keep evil at a distance: a tortoise shield and pieces of alum, also in a triangular shape. I’ll be going over those in future posts!

But more often, triangular amulets of fabric, leather of beaded forms are hung on other things than humans: cattle, but also one’s house, car, or utensils. The photo above shows a triangular amulet with golden sequins (and one blue one, against the evil eye), on a loom in Uzbekistan, where I photographed it.

You’ll find them incorporated into jewellery or worn on their own, executed in gold or silver, or maybe in less precious materials – triangles form a very recognizable form of amulet.

Triangular amulets: regional variations

The triangle shape is important in amulets, and this series will continue with very specific examples of triangular amulets that each have their own capacities:

Tunisian resin triangle amulets

Palestinian Hajar Musa triangle amulets

Triangular amulets: Frequently Asked Questions

Why are some amulets triangular?
The triangle is one of the simplest and strongest shapes. It may be derived from sunlight falling through clouds, from the shape of mountains, or refer to female dress. In jewellery, triangular amulets embody this varying symbolism.

What are triangular amulets made of?
They can be made from silver or gold, often serving as containers for prayers or texts. Other examples are created from beads, fabric, leather, or even resin, depending on local traditions.

Where are triangular amulets found?
Triangular amulets are recorded across the wider Middle East and North Africa. Each region used different materials and techniques to shape the triangular form.

Do triangular amulets always have the same meaning?
No. While the triangle often symbolises strength or fertility, its meaning changes depending on time and place.

Are triangular amulets still used today?
The triangle shape is still a popular form for pendants protecting homes, cars and people. They continue to illustrate the cultural importance of amulets in jewellery history.

Triangular amulets: meaning in geometry

By looking closely at triangular forms, we can trace how the simplest geometry became part of a shared visual language of amulets in jewellery.

This post is part of my series on amulets in jewellery — alongside blogs on for example eye beads, glass amulets, and clove necklaces. Together, they show how different materials and forms across the Middle East and North Africa were carriers of protective power!

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Would you like to quote this article? Please do! Here’s how:

S. van Roode, [write the title as you see it above this post], published on the Bedouin Silver website [paste the exact link to this article], accessed on [the date you are reading this article and decided it was useful for you].

Sigrid van Roode

Sigrid van Roode is an archeologist, ethnographer and jewellery historian. Her main field of expertise is jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia, as well as archaeological and archaeological revival jewellery. She has authored several books on jewellery, and obtained her PhD at Leiden University on the jewellery of the Egyptian zar-ritual. Sigrid has lectured for the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, Turquoise Mountain Jordan, and many others. She provides consultancy and research on jewellery collections for both museums and private collections, teaches courses and curates exhibitions. She is not involved in the business of buying and selling jewellery, and focuses on research, knowledge production, and education only.

Khalili eye beads: Palestinian glass beads from Hebron

Khalili eye beads: Palestinian glass beads from Hebron

by | Magic & Amulets

Glass eye beads from Hebron

Khalili eye beads: Palestinian glass beads from Hebron

Updated October 1, 2025

Eye beads are among the most recognisable amulets in the Middle East, but Palestine has its own distinctive variation: the Khalili beads of Hebron (al-Khalil). Produced in the city’s glass workshops during the 19th and early 29th century, these beads were made in many sizes, often with local names like “rooster’s eye” or “camel’s eye.” They were so popular that they were sold far and wide.

Today, Khalili beads survive in museum collections and family heirlooms, offering insight into Palestinian glasswork, jewellery traditions, and protective beliefs. In this blog, part of my series on amulets in jewellery, we’ll take a closer look at how these unique beads were made, used, and understood.

The origin of Khalili eye beads in Hebron (al-Khalil)

The Arabic name of Hebron is al-Khalil. This is how the town was known to its Arab-speaking inhabitants. That’s an important observation to make, because the name of these beads is derived from the place where they were made. These beads are called khalili: from al-Khalil.

A photo in National Geographic Magazine of April 1934 pictures a glass workshop in Hebron, where strands of such eye beads dangle from wooden racks. [1] This image is shown below, click to enlarge: I have this volume in my library, and added a dash of blue to guide your eye to the beads – do you spot the glass vessels on the tray in front of them?

How to recognise Palestinian Khalili glass eye beads

What do Khalili eye beads look like? They are flat beads of a circular shape. In the centre, you’ll have a white glass disc with a black dot of glass in its centre. Around that, concentric rings of glass were added. Garcia Probert describes in them in detail in her book on the Tawfik Canaan collection: the outer circle could be executed in blue, green or black; the second one would be yellow or orange. [2]

They work along the same lines as other eye beads: see this blog post for a quick introduction on the cultural context of eye beads and how they are supposed to work.

Sizes and local names of Khalili eye beads

These eye beads from Hebron were produced in several sizes: you could say they existed in small, medium and large varieties. And these sizes each had their own name.  The small ones are called ‘rooster’s eye’ or ‘ayn al-dik. The medium-sized ones are called ‘ayn al-qa’ud: dromedary eye. And the big ones are named after camel eyes, ‘ayn al-gamal. [3] Beads without a black dot for a pupil, so just consisting of a white centre with coloured circles around that, are called ‘ayn amya. [4]

How would you decide which one to pick? Garcia Probert suggests that the size of the bead may be related to the severity of the symptoms of someone in need of an eye amulet: big issues, big beads. [5]. And while I totally see how that could work, I think the choice for a particular size could also be inspired by what you would be using it in, and maybe your budget would also play a role here.

Assuming that smaller beads cost less than big ones, maybe a small bead could be all someone could afford. And then there is how you would be wearing it. An inconspicuous small bead attached to a dress would still be effective against the evil eye, and a larger bead threaded on a necklace would also double as adornment. So, how were they used…?

Khalili beads in museum collections

A significant obstacle to understanding these beads is that we know them mostly in collected context. The beads we find in museum collections seem to have been purchased directly from the sellers of such beads. And that is not just in Palestine: these beads were very popular and were exported to, for example, Istanbul and Venice.

The collection of the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford holds Khalili eye beads that have been purchased in Hebron itself, in Jerusalem, but also in Istanbul and Italy. What I noticed about these, is that they are usually strung together as 4 or 5 beads or so. You can’t wear them that way, it looks as if they come straight from a bead seller.

Only in a few cases do you see a complete strand of them, labeled as ‘necklace’ – but is it? The first strand shown above is labeled as ‘necklace’ in the database of the British Museum, but with a length of 19,5 centimetres they’re on the short side for necklaces. Larger strands exist as well, such as the other one shown above, which measures 41 centimetres. As you see on the image above of the bead seller, he has indeed various lengths on offer.

Were Khalili beads worn in jewellery?

What evidence can we find of these beads being used? I went through a stack of resources to see if there is anything showing these beads being used in jewellery: collections of jewellery from Southwest Asia, and old photographs.

I found that, unlike the saba ‘uyun beads, Khalili beads do not seem to have been worked into jewellery and dress all that much: you will not find them set in silver, in for example a pendant or ring, or worked into necklaces, whereas the saba ‘uyun or Seven Eyes beads feature heavily in jewellery. There are plenty of jewels made of blue beads, but these particular beads are not part of those.

What is more, going over lots of old photographs, I saw no one wearing bracelets or necklaces made of Khalili eye beads, while beaded jewellery in general is abundantly available – apparently, strung together as we find them in museums was not the mainstream way of wearing these things.

Yet, these beads were produced in the thousands….they have must have been used somehow!

Khalili eye beads as amulets against the Evil Eye

And then I found them in use! The British Museum has two amulets in its collection that feature a Khalili eye bead as part of their design: in fact, these beads sit in the centre of the amulet. In that respect, the little note with two of these beads I photographed in the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford (in the gallery above, click to enlarge) is also interesting: this labels the beads as ‘amulets’. So instead of complete ‘necklaces’ that help fight the evil eye, these beads seem to have been produced as individual eye-catchers (pun intended, sorry).

Explore the meaning of beads against the Evil Eye in this main article

Unanswered questions about Palestinian eye beads

I wonder if the Palestinian eye beads as we see them in museums today could not rather be strands as they come from the seller, instead of finished jewels as they are often labeled now.

The eye beads are, to my current knowledge, not present in regular jewellery and not visibly worn as complete necklaces or bracelets. They do occur as parts of amulets, and so I can’t help but wonder if we might find these attached to dress or veils, amulets hung on children’s cribs, attached perhaps to bonnets of babies….instead of used in jewellery.

And that is interesting to me in itself: apparently, this type of bead is not something you’d make jewellery of.

I’ll be on the lookout for them: if you spot one, please drop me a line? I’m very interested to learn what you make of these: together, we always see more!

Frequently Asked Questions about Palestinian eye beads

What are Khalili eye beads?
Khalili eye beads are glass beads produced in Hebron (al-Khalil), Palestine. They were made with eye-like designs and believed to protect against the evil eye.

Why are Palestinian eye beads called Khalili beads?
They are named after their place of origin, Hebron, which is called al-Khalil in Arabic. The city was known for its glass workshops that specialised in bead production.

Did people wear Palestinian Khalili eye beads as jewellery?
Research has shown that they were generally not used in jewellery such as necklaces or bracelets. Instead, they may have been carried as amulets, hung in homes, or kept as protective objects.

Why do Khalili beads come in different sizes?
The beads ranged from small versions to very large ones, with local names such as “rooster’s eye” and “camel’s eye.” These variations likely reflected different symbolic uses or preferences.

Where can Palestinian Khalili eye beads be found today?
Production ceased in the 20th century. They survive in museum collections, including the British Museum and Pitt Rivers Museum, as well as in family heirlooms passed down through generations.

Palestinian Khalili glass eye beads: meaningful beads

Khalili eye beads show how Palestinian glassmakers contributed to the long tradition of amulets against the evil eye. Their varied shapes, sizes, and names reveal how deeply these beads were woven into everyday life, from workshop production to personal adornment. While not always worn in jewellery, they remain powerful reminders of how people in Palestine sought protection through the objects they carried and kept close.

This blog is part of my series on amulets in jewellery — alongside posts for example on triangular amulets, glass amulets, and clove necklaces. Together, these stories show how materials as different as glass, cloves, and silver were all drawn into the shared human desire for protection and meaning.

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Find out more about the symbolism of jewellery in the e-courses!

More posts on amulets, charms and magic? Browse them all here!

Join the Jewellery List and receive new articles, jewellery news and more in your inbox!

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Discover more on jewellery today!

References

[1] National Geographic Magazine, vol. LXV (1934), no. 4, p. 513

[2] Garcia Probert, M. 2021. Exploring the life of amulets in Palestine. PhD thesis, Leiden University, p. 80-81

[3] Garcia Probert, M. 2021. Exploring the life of amulets in Palestine. PhD thesis, Leiden University, p. 81

[4] Garcia Probert, M. 2021. Exploring the life of amulets in Palestine. PhD thesis, Leiden University, p. 81

[5] Garcia Probert, M. 2021. Exploring the life of amulets in Palestine. PhD thesis, Leiden University, p. 81

Would you like to quote this article? Please do! Here’s how:

S. van Roode, [write the title as you see it above this post], published on the Bedouin Silver website [paste the exact link to this article], accessed on [the date you are reading this article and decided it was useful for you].

Sigrid van Roode

Sigrid van Roode is an archeologist, ethnographer and jewellery historian. Her main field of expertise is jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia, as well as archaeological and archaeological revival jewellery. She has authored several books on jewellery, and obtained her PhD at Leiden University on the jewellery of the Egyptian zar-ritual. Sigrid has lectured for the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, Turquoise Mountain Jordan, and many others. She provides consultancy and research on jewellery collections for both museums and private collections, teaches courses and curates exhibitions. She is not involved in the business of buying and selling jewellery, and focuses on research, knowledge production, and education only.