Red, blue, green, and beyond

Colour symbolism in Middle Eastern jewellery

Updated October 2, 2025

Colours in jewellery are never chosen at random. In Middle Eastern and North African traditions, colour has long been understood as more than decoration: it carries meaning, protection, and symbolism. Red could signify blood and fertility, blue was tied to water and the skies, amber evoked the warmth of the sun, and green spoke of growth and abundance. Looking at colour symbolism in jewellery helps us understand not only the objects themselves, but also the cultural worlds in which they were worn. In this article, part of my series on amulets and charms in jewellery, I will go over the main colours in jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia.

Colour symbolism: flexible and varied

The importance of colours and their capacities is huge. The use of the two main colours, red and blue, is a given that appears in jewellery everywhere. But other colours are chosen on a local level.

And that is where we find a great variety in use throughout North Africa and Southwest Asia. The uses of colour vary from one region to another, from tribe to tribe and from family to family.

They also vary greatly throughout time: the same colour can be believed to have a very different meaning in different historic time periods. [1]

So, this is a major aspect to bear in mind: there is no uniform use of colour in a region as vast and as varied as this.

In the image above (click to enlarge it) you’ll see a variety of amulets, beads, rings, earrings, necklaces, fibulas and hair ornaments. All of these are not randomly given a colour, but each and every one carries meaning in the culture it comes from.

Red in Middle Eastern jewellery: blood, life and protection

Red is a fierce colour: it stands out from its surroundings and is very difficult to go unnoticed. It captures the attention of the onlooker and almost acts as a stop or danger-sign, and that capacity makes it very well suited to be an agent against evil forces. It is bound to catch your eye.

In Pakistan, red powder was sprinkled at the entrance of a house to keep spirits away [2], and in Algeria, the Shawia considered everything red as a powerful ally against the evil eye [3].

As the colour of blood, red is also very much a colour worn by women. Blood is associated with fertility and life, as it surrounds many life events such as marriage and giving birth, but also in the monthly cycle.

That is partly why red is also a predominant colour in dress throughout the region, and why henna is valued for its reddish colour. [4]

Blue in jewellery: water, skies, and protection against evil

Blue is the natural counterpart to red. It’s a cooling colour, related to water, the moon and the skies.

As blue does not occur as much in nature as red, blue in jewellery is often man-made. Blue glass, enamel or faience often serve to add a pop of blue in jewellery. [5] Materials that have a blue shade such as turquoise are also used for their protective qualities.

 The most widespread use of blue is in the well-known eye beads: see more about those in this article. You will find blue beads worked into necklaces and charms, notably for children.

Another characteristic blue amulet is the Seven Eyes amulet: see more about that here.

Yellow: wearing sunlight

Yellow represents the warm, life-giving rays of the sun. Notably amber is much prized because of its correspondence with sunlight. It has other capacities, too: discover these in this article.

 That force of sunlight may also be present in the orange-tinted carnelian, which echoes the light of dawn. In many ancient societies, carnelian in particular was regarded as representing the dawn through its colour. This is a wonderful example of how colours can carry different meanings: it is never just one capacity and its significance changes per region, and over time.

Green jewellery: abundance and fertility

Green represents growth and prosperity. [6] Through its association with vegetation, verdant hues of green bring life and fertility. In many countries, the green vegetation stands in stark contrast with the deserts, and as such green has been a significant colour since antiquity.

Changing meanings of colours over time

This importance to colour and their meaning is also rooted in the availability and technical possibilities of the times. In today’s world, we are used to a wide range of colours that simply could not be created a century ago. Colour symbolism is also strongly tied to the natural environment of the society that values it.

Take purple, for example. The process of creating purple dye was so complex and costly, that it was reserved for the super wealthy only: the Roman emperor and his immediate surroundings. And even though purple is easy to create today, it still carries that connotation of luxury and opulence.

The language of colour in Middle Eastern jewellery

The language of colour is one of the most direct ways in which jewellery communicates (along with shape and material), in almost all cultures up until a few decades ago.

Depending on the culture, colours could be used to keep evil away, to convey stages of mourning or celebration, to show wealth and access to complex processes and materials, and to help combat and cure a variety of diseases.

And of course, colours are important beyond jewellery and adornment, too. Colours govern the world of the jinn, they are associated with star signs and magical spheres; they play a role in virtually every moment of life.

Colours are used for general and very specific purposes. What these colours represented also shifted across time and place, showing how flexible and dynamic colour symbolism can be. By paying attention to the colours in traditional jewellery, we glimpse how people in the region used adornment as a language of meaning, belief, and identity. It’s rarely ever ‘just’ a colour, and I do love exploring the world of the senses!⁠
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The use of colour is just one of the topics in the e-course on jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia: have a look and learn to read the symbolism in jewellery here!

Frequently Asked Questions about colour in Middle Eastern jewellery

Why is red an important colour in Middle Eastern jewellery?
Red is linked to blood, fertility, and life, making it a strong colour of protection and vitality.

What does blue symbolise in jewellery from the region?
Blue is associated with water, the skies, and protection. It appears in turquoise, glass, and eye beads.

Why is yellow considered powerful in Middle Eastern jewellery?
A yellow hue connects jewellery to sunlight, warmth, and protective energy.

How is green used symbolically in jewellery?
Green symbolises growth, fertility, and abundance, often linked with vegetation in desert landscapes.

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Want to learn how to read the protective powers in jewellery? This e-course rounds it all up for you.

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References

[1] W. McClintock 1991, Folk Religion in Pakistan, p. 62.

[2] M.W. Hilton-Simpson 1915, Some Algerian Superstitions, in: Folklore Vol. 26, no. 3 p. 229-230.

[3] See for example this book on medieval thoughts on coloured stones in jewellery.

[4] Westermarck 1911, The Popular Ritual of the Great Feast in Morocco, in: Folklore Vol. 22, no. 2 p. 141, mentions henna as a ‘holy colour’.       

[5] See A. Popper-Giveon, A. Abu Rabia & J. Ventura 2014. From white stone to blue bead, in: Material Religion Vol. 10 Issue 2, pp. 132-153.

[6] Although green is also recognized as the colour of envy, see for example Edmund Doutté 1909, Magie & Religion de l’ Afrique du Nord, p. 62 for an example from Algeria.

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