Learn with me

Ready to read your jewellery?

Everything you always wanted to know about jewellery from the Middle East and North Africa is here for you! These are the only e-courses of their kind, based on over 25 years of research and work with traditional silver jewellery and its world.

Get familiar with all the background details on the jewellery you love: from cultural context to surprising uses of adornment that have been all but forgotten…in a super easy format that takes up minimal time!

This investment in yourself is less than the cost of a bracelet – but your entire collection will gain a world of meaning. Scroll down to see the available courses: there is sure to be a topic you’d love to know more about!

The online course library: click an image to see more!

This course by Sigrid is a beautifully presented online course, offering well researched, informative insights into the history of beads and the cultures that use beads as adornment.
As a dancer and performer its important to know the origin and geographical journey of my jewellery, to understand and consider how a piece has been made.
For me old pieces of jewellery retain a spirit, of the women and the magic of times past.
Jewellery is a celebration of adornment, beauty as art, and Sigrid’s course brings all these wonderful elements together.

Nina Martinez

Dance Director & Master Teacher, Temple Rain Dance & Adornment (purchased the bundle)

My unique format: tailored for you

Imagine yourself in a world of beautiful jewellery, and with time to spare for all the other important things that need your attention. My unique format makes it possible! Here’s how that works.

Each course is brought to you in bite-sized episodes of roughly 15 minutes. All videos are pre-recorded and online, so you’re welcome to watch at your own convenience. You will have access for a year: plenty of time to watch and rewatch the episodes.

All you need is around 15 minutes, and an Internet connection: participants have enjoyed a course while commuting, as a well deserved tea break, or as a bingewatch jewellery feast. In 10 minutes from now, you could be watching the first episode of your chosen course!

These courses are not another item on your to do-list. These courses are the break you’ve been wanting!

‘I would love to take a course, but I don’t know where to find the time…’ Sound familiar? Our days fill up quickly, and time simply gets away from us. So we are quick to skip those things we actually enjoy the most: a moment to relax, to explore, to enjoy our favourite topic.

I have designed the courses with you in mind: I know you may not have 2 hours, but everyone has 15 minutes to spare for something they deeply love. So treat yourself to a daily 15-20 minute moment of ‘me-time’: seeing, hearing, soaking up everything about jewellery…and maybe clicking that ‘next episode’ button to see some more!

What would you like to hear about today…?

This course is absolutely essential for any person who is interested in jewellery or studying it, as it covers topics that are often forgotten in the usual curriculum. Sigrid shares a lot of information and the presentation is amazing and perfectly organized. It is easy to follow, as you can do it at your own pace and there is a big plus with the great reading material and book recommendations she offers.

Elena Almirall Arnal, PhD

Todo Es Arte Formacion, Spain (purchased the bundle)

about me

Your instructor

All courses are researched, prepared and taught by Sigrid van Roode. I have been presenting classes, courses, workshops and jewellery talks for over 25 years now, and am the author of two books on jewellery from North Africa and the Middle East. My goal is to present academic level research in an accessible, fun and easy to follow style. I believe jewellery is not just adornment, but an important historic source that tells us so much about the lives of women – and I’ll be showing you in how many ways that works!

In my work as a museum researcher, I have been studying Middle Eastern and North African jewelry for the past four years, consuming as many resources as I could find. Sigrid’s online jewelry classes have been an excellent addition to my education on this subject matter. The presentations are easily understood, visually engaging, and I learn something new with each episode, even about topics I am already familiar with. I highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to understand more about the cultural context of adornment in these areas of the world, including those with no prior knowledge.

Emily Bryant

Ethnographic Collections Manager, Indiana University Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology (purchased the bundle)

bonus products

Extra’s

E-book package

With each course, you will receive 8 full-colour e-books. These contain not only the course material, but also present you with book recommendations, online reading material and additional images. The e-books are yours to download and keep: your own jewellery library and starting point for more exploring!

Online community

You will have access to our private online community on Facebook. Here, you will be able to get any questions answered and enjoy the world of jewellery with other course participants from around the globe – with as many angles, comparisons and personal stories to share!

These courses are perfect for you when:

  • you are interested in jewellery and dress from North Africa and Southwest Asia, and in the history, traditions, and many cultures of the region;
  • you work with dress and adornment from the region as curator, designer, dancer, instructor or collector;
  • you inherited jewellery and would like to learn more about its background;
  • you have lived or are living in the region as an expat and would like to understand more about its history and culture;
  • you already know quite a good deal about your jewellery, but could use an overview of how it fits in the bigger picture of cultural customs, traditions and society;
  • you are curious to look beyond your own culture or country;
  • you care about jewellery and cherish jewellery items as the heritage pieces they are.

Curious? Just click an image and see what awaits you!