E-course Magic

Amulets and talismans
Fighting the evil eye

Magic of Jewellery

What is inside amulet containers? What do those symbols like dots, circles and triangles mean? You know that amulets protect, bless and keep the wearer safe…but how, exactly?? That is what we will explore in this course. For starters: did you know that almost every piece of jewellery carries hidden meaning, not just amulets and talismans? When you want to learn to read the meaning of jewellery, this is the course for you!

How far back in time do evil-eye beads really go? What is the power of colours?  And what do these hopes and fears expressed in jewellery tell us about the women who wore these pieces…? Find out in my best selling course: magic in jewellery!

read symbols in jewellery

Watch whenever you like

This is the easiest course ever to fit into your schedule. Honestly. No rushing, no squeezing in fixed course times. Watch and learn whenever it suits you. 

‘I would love to take a course, but when…?!’ Sound familiar? Our days fill up quickly, and 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 this course with you in mind: everyone has 15 minutes to spare to enjoy a world they really love!

So this course is not another item on your to do-list. This course is the break you’ve been wanting!

All you need is 15 minutes and an Internet connection: participants have enjoyed a course while commuting, on their tea break, or as bingewatch feast. You could be enjoying the first episode in 10 minutes from now….!

 

Gold nose ring with crescents, stars and a hand amulet, worn by the Bedouin of Palestine and Egypt, placed on an illustration of a Bedouin woman wearing a nose ring
amulets and talismans

What will I learn?

Magic is so much more than just superstition or spells. First, a glimpse into the world of magic and jinn will show you how the belief in invisible powers is part of everyday life. Next, we go over the meaning of colours, of shapes and forms, and of materials: think of triangles, horns and thorns, hands and eyes, and much much more. Of course we will also delve into the magic of the written word, see how numbers carry meaning, and how both can be combined to form a powerful spell. Finally, I will show you how to read the layered meaning in jewellery: it builds upon all of these capacities, and it tells us about the women that wore these jewellery items. You will see your jewellery in a whole new light!

Just a short note to congratulate you again for your great contribution by putting together the course on Silver. The first class was fantastic, with a wealth of information all put together very nicely… easy to follow and  learn from. Being an Amazigh man, the Magic-class reminds me of several occasions where the subjects of this class were actually witnessed or even experienced.

Mustafa Salem

Libya

about me

Your instructor

All classes are researched, prepared and taught by Sigrid van Roode. I have been presenting classes, courses, workshops and jewellery talks for over 25 years now. I am the author of several books on jewellery, and currently doing a PhD on jewellery and ritual in Egypt. 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!

Sigrid van Roode, wearing an emerald dress, presenting a talk on symbolism of the hand in jewellery from the Middle East and North Africa
magic of jewellery

Extra’s

E-book package

With this prerecorded lecture series, 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 magical library!

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!

This class is definitely for you when:

  • you are interested in jewellery and dress from North Africa and Southwest Asia, and in the many traditions and 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 are curious to look beyond your own culture or country;
  • you care about jewellery and cherish jewellery items as the heritage pieces they are.