Deir ez-Zor as a jewellery centre

Deir ez-Zor as a jewellery centre

by | Cultures & People, Objects

Jewellery from Syria

Deir ez-Zor as a centre for jewellery

Published on December 16, 2024

You will often find bracelets attributed to Deir ez-Zor, in Syria. Who made these pieces of jewellery, and who purchased them? Just because they have been created in Deir ez-Zor, does not automatically mean they were worn only by Syrian customers – especially not in a time where state boundaries were quite different from today’s situation. In this blog, I’ll explore the silversmiths of Deir ez-Zor and their clients!

Where is Deir ez-Zor?

Deir ez-Zor, also spelled Deir ez-Zur or Deir Azzor, is a town located on the banks of the Euphrates River in eastern Syria. It sits at a cultural and economic crossroads, and has always been a trade hub. Its geographical position connects Mesopotamia, current-day Iraq and Syria, to the Levant. The map below shows where to locate Deir ez-Zor. The town was one of three major hubs for silversmithing, along with Aleppo and Damascus. [1]

Jewellery makers in Deir ez-Zor

The silversmiths of Deir ez-Zor were skilled artisans, often working within family workshops where techniques and designs were passed down through generations. Before the 1930s, most silversmiths were Jewish. [2]

That is a notable difference with Damascus and Aleppo, where the majority of the silversmiths were Christians: in Damascus Catholics and Armenians, and in Aleppo most were Armenians. [3] After the Jewish population moved to the newly created state of Israel at the end of the 1940s, silversmithing was practised by Armenians and Muslims.

The craft dwindled slowly, and by the early 1990s, Johannes Kalter reported that there were only few silversmiths left in Deir ez-Zor. [4]

Niello: Armenian craftmanship in Syria

One of the silverworking traditions that Deir ez-Zor stands out for, is the use of niello. This was most likely introduced by Armenian silversmiths [5] and increased in use after the Armenian genocide, when survivors fled to Syria. The bracelet shown above, with its worn niello decoration, was likely produced in Deir ez-Zor.

These do not necessarily have to be vintage or old: as late as the 1990s, Kalter describes how ‘only the demand from tourists keeps this ancient and sophisticated technique of the silversmiths alive’ [6] – an important distinction to bear in mind. And not only may these bracelets be less than 30 years old, they can be found in a wide area, too.

The wide reach of jewellery from Deir ez-Zor

The primary clientele for Deir ez-Zor’s silver jewellery were local women, for whom jewellery served as both ornamentation and a form of financial security. Women’s jewellery was often given as part of their dowry and could be melted down or sold in times of need.

Bedouin tribes also constituted an important market for silversmiths. Jewellery from Deir ez-Zor was not only prized locally but also traded across Syria and neighbouring regions: traders from Aleppo, Damascus, and Baghdad would acquire pieces from Deir ez-Zor to sell in their own cities.

That means that jewellery created in Deir ez-Zor can be found in a wide area: in Syria itself, but also in Turkey, Iraq, Palestine, Jordan, and Lebanon. And this is where sometimes, it gets confusing.

You will find these bracelets (and indeed other jewellery produced in Deir ez-Zor) often presented as traditional jewellery from Jordan or Iraq – and they are, but not exclusively. Here, modern state boundaries divide cultures that call a shared region home, and categorizing jewellery according to today’s map only effectively erases that shared history.

The jewellers of Deir ez-Zor catered to a pluriform world, and in recognising that, we can do their work and their world more justice!

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References for Deir ez-Zor as a centre for silver jewellery

[1] J. Kalter, M. Pavaloi & M. Zerrnickel 1992, The Arts and Crafts of Syria, Thames & Hudson, p. 76

[2] As stated here: https://craftsofsyria.uvic.ca/deir-ez-zor-silversmiths/

[3] Kalter et al, p. 77

[4] Kalter et al, p. 76, 78

[5] Kalter et al, p. 78

[6] Kalter et al, p. 78 and fig 136 on p. 136, where similar bracelets are shown as contemporary (i.e. 1990s) craftmanship.

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].

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.

Jewelry and Adornment of Libya

Jewelry and Adornment of Libya

by | Cultures & People, Reviews

Libyan jewellery in depth

Jewelry and Adornment of Libya

Published on November 8, 2024

Libya is home to spectacular jewellery, but very few books are currently available on the jewellery heritage of this country. That has now changed with the much-anticipated arrival of Jewelry and Adornment of Libya: a book that fills a huge gap – and in more ways than one!

Jewelry and Adornment of Libya: a personal view

The author of this book, Hala Ghellali, is from Libya herself: she was born and raised in Tripoli. This is where she first encountered silver jewellery as a young woman, when her father took her to the souq to purchase silver bracelets for her. Personal memories like this form the starting point of the book, but Hala’s background is much wider. You may have read her essay in the Postcard Women’s Imaginarium book, for example.

She was schooled in Tripoli, studied in France, and then moved to Italy, Egypt, Syria and finally, the USA. She is fascinated by Libyan history, both the tangible and the intangible (like poetry or proverbs), and has conducted research into jewellery and adornment for years.

What do you get when someone like that writes a book? A super rich, very detailed book that (at least for me) hits all the important nails on the head when it comes to jewellery research.

Jewelry and Adornment of Libya: the outline

Let me start with one of my hangups: references. You know I love references! Sharing one’s sources when making a claim is very helpful when one wants a book to contribute to common knowledge, and simply necessary when one wants to enable future research. Jewelry and Adornment of Libya is referenced, and here’s the beauty of it: it references sources in Arabic, Italian, French, and English, and provides clear references as to which silversmith shared which piece of information, anecdote or memory with the author. That is different for Libyan Jewellery – A Journey Through Symbols by Elena Schenone Alberini (1998) for example: this has a bibliography, but is not referenced.  

This kaleidoscope of sources results in a solid basis for the research in this book. Hala effortlessly combines observations from travel diaries with patent books, colonial legislation with oral history and poetry, museum pieces with personal memories. This variety brings you a book that is packed with facts and insights on the context of jewellery – absolutely crucial if we want to understand the jewellery itself.

The book is roughly structured in three main parts: the world of jewellery producers, the world of jewellery wearers, and wedding customs in Tripoli. So, let me take you on a quick tour!

Libyan jewellery: the silversmiths

The first three chapters of the book discuss the history of Libyan silversmithing. Here, the book differs notably from Schenone Alberini’s book: these chapters really dive in the history of jewellery production. First, a chapter on jewellery in archaeological excavations and travel diaries outlines the sources that exist for the history of jewellery in Libya. Interestingly, these also include reports by merchants, shedding light on the transactional context of jewellery: who buys and sells these things, and for how much?

Next is a chapter on the production of jewellery itself, both in its historic context as well as detailing techniques. The wealth of historic background is incredibly enlightening. Just one example is how we learn about the close relations between the Jewish silversmithing communities of both Tripoli and Djerba in Tunisia. As so often the case, colonial borders mess with transregional cultural identities: in the case of Tripoli and Djerba, these two communities became so closely entangled that much of the southern Tunisian jewellery was hallmarked in Tripoli. This chapter picks apart how political and economic developments affected both the Jewish and Muslim silver business over time.

I can’t emphasise enough how relevant this is – I see so many online sources and discussions on social media claiming that a piece of jewellery belongs to either this or that nationality, without consideration for the historical context, that it is nothing short of refreshing to see someone patiently walking us through the history of it all and presenting us with a nuanced, detailed view.

There is much more in this chapter: guild organisation, the various arts and crafts production centres, techniques and forms, terminology used by both Jewish and Muslim jewellery makers, all against their shifting historic and cultural backgrounds.

And then there is hallmarks! You know I adore my copy of World Hallmarks Volume II, the fabulous overview of hallmarks from non-Western countries. But Libya is missing from this overview. Schenone Alberini does present hallmarks and adds drawings of both hallmarks and amin stamps, but has difficulty organising the hallmarks chronologically – another gap sorted with Jewelry and Adornment of Libya. Here, we learn of the development of hallmarks throughout and after the Italian colonial period, the difference between hallmarks and master silversmith stamps, and the challenges in attempting to organise hallmarks diachronically.

Libyan jewellery: from head to toe

The book then continues with ten chapters devoted to jewellery itself. From head jewellery to waistcoat buttons to belts, anklets and slippers, in these pages you will find an abundance of jewellery – and its stories. Each piece of jewellery is presented with its vernacular name, there are poetry and song references throughout, and here again, everything is discussed in its historic timeframe. For many names, their linguistic origin is also given, which helps a lot in understanding what these names mean and why specifically they are chosen for a particular object.

These chapters are so rich in their descriptions that I don’t even know where to begin. Let me just say that when you read it all, you will get so much more than just jewellery. There are customs and practices, sayings and Qur’an citations, beliefs and glimpses into everyday life. And the photos! The entire book is lavishly illustrated, with images of private collections that have not been published before, but also with photos of how jewellery is actually worn.

As if that was not enough, the final chapter presents jewellery customs related to engagement and marriage in the city of Tripoli. Illustrated with vintage photos of actual wedding ceremonies, this essay brings us customs and habits that have since disappeared, and as such, this forms yet another important documentation of jewellery in its living, breathing context.

Libyan jewellery research: just in time

That sense of disappearing traditions is present throughout the book. In the epilogue, Hala shares the difficult road towards the publication of this book. For one, archives are not always accessible: in 2011, the political situation changed drastically, resulting in difficult times for those living and working in Libya. Another part of the challenges was the unescapable fact that the last generation of both wearers and silversmiths is disappearing rapidly. Who still remembers songs, customs, memories from before the Second World War? And even more relevant: who is willing to actually share these?

This is a challenge we see everywhere around the globe, and this book illustrates how important it is to incorporate this disappearing knowledge before there is no one left to ask. One of the things I really value is how this book pays it forward to future researchers by including an long list of Tripolitan silver- and goldsmiths in the appendix: we may not yet know when exactly they practised their craft, or what their makers’ mark looks like, but at least, this provides us with a starting point in preserving their names and their memory.

Glossary of jewellery terms

There is even more to this book, I’m not done yet. For me, one of the highlights is the glossary of jewellery terms in Arabic at the end of the book. For those of us who do not master Arabic, these four pages with terminology for everything from earrings to anklets are a major asset. You remember that e-book with jewellery search terms in 7 languages I created to help you expand your online search results? This glossary is a big help with the Arabic terms – do note that it is Libyan Arabic, so regionally spoken, but it is very insightful nonetheless.

So far, you’ll have noticed that I’m gushing. Is there no comment to be made at all…? Very few, if I’m being honest.

If I could ask for anything more, it would be a map of Libya and its neighbouring countries to help visualise where, for example, Djerba and Siwa are relative to Tripoli. As an archaeologist, I would have liked to see more diachronic backup for the explanation of some forms of symbolism: up until now, no one has convincingly shown that some forms of pre-Islamic symbolism, like the triangle for Tanit or the cross-in-circle pendant, have indeed been present as such in jewellery continuously. I lean towards the thought that this is more a case of revival than survival, but that is me. And well, ok, final comment, the green font for quotes is at times difficult to read.

But that’s it – the book design is beautiful, the weight of the paper has a sumptuous feel to it, and it’s a good thing that this is a hardback edition: I’m going to be leafing through it quite often.

For those that would want to compare this to Schenone Alberini’s book: that is gorgeous, too, no shade! But Jewelry and Adornment of Libya goes beyond, is more detailed and specific. I found that reading Jewelry and Adornment of Libya helped me place Schenone Alberini’s book in more context, and increased my understanding of Libyan jewellery significantly.

Jewelry and Adornment of Libya: a treasure of a book

The author writes that creating an exhaustive catalogue has not been her intention: the book gravitates around Tripoli (but does include many other places in the jewellery chapters), there is always more research to be done, and she hopes that researchers will build upon this work. I hope so, too! And with Jewelry and Adornment of Libya, the standard is set high.

Because with this book, you will get far more than a catalogue with Libyan jewellery. You will get a valuable record of the world in which this jewellery existed: its social, cultural, historical and economic context. This is one of the best recent books on traditional jewellery I have read, also because of its clear referencing – and as you know, I have read quite a few. So, whether you are from Libya yourself, a collector, curator or scholar working with traditional jewellery: go on and treat yourself to this book before it ends up out of print!

More about Jewellery and Adornment of Libya

Jewelry and Adornment of Libya By Hala Ghellali, 2024. 180 pages, full colour, English.

Published by BLKVLD Uitgevers Publishers.

Available with the publisher: see here how to order

I received the book as review copy.

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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.

5 rookie mistakes

5 rookie mistakes

by | Tips for collectors

Avoid these mistakes in collecting

5 rookie mistakes lessons I learned in collecting jewellery

Updated Feb 16, 2025

Collecting vintage and antique jewellery from the Middle East is such a beautiful activity. The hunt for that one special piece, the jolt of excitement you feel when it finally arrives or when you walk out of that store! But…did you know there are some pitfalls that can impact the importance and even the value of your collection? Here are 5 mistakes I totally made myself – and which proved to be valuable lessons!

1. Neglecting to research regional styles and techniques

That’s a no-brainer… diving into the market without a thorough understanding of the diverse styles and techniques specific to different regions and cultures will get you duped for sure. The Middle East and North Africa are a mosaic of cultures, each with its distinct jewellery traditions. From the intricate filigree work of Yemeni silversmiths to the colorful enamel designs of Amazigh craftsmen, the nuances are vast and varied.

When I purchased my first pieces of jewellery, as a young student, I definitely made mistakes (and I have the Drawer of Shame to prove it!) It took me a while to learn to recognize both regional styles and stylistic developments over time…and that is what it takes to avoid this: time.

My advice would be to invest time in researching the unique characteristics of jewellery from the regions or cultures you’d like to collect, right from the start. Having a handle on these aspects not only enhances your appreciation for the pieces, but also acts as a safeguard against purchasing replicas or misattributed items.

With time, you’ll become a lot less vulnerable against intentional fooling! This post tells you exactly what to look for.

2. Overlooking the importance of provenance and collection management

Provenance, or the documented history of a piece, is really paramount when building a collection of vintage and antique jewellery. Who were the previous owners of a piece? When was it first acquired? Has it been restored or altered? Equally important is keeping track of your collection. They usually go hand in hand.

The thing is I did not realize that this is actually important until much later. When I first started to collect jewellery, I just purchased what I liked and what I could afford, and never wrote anything down.

And people, did I come to regret that…! Things like the local name of a piece, or the name of the shop I found it, or the year I bought it. From the bottom of my heart: Write. It. Down.

Please do it now, while you still remember it – if not for your heirs, then for future collectors so they don’t have to start all over again with researching things you already knew. It’s such a waste of all the energy and time you have spent on finding out more on your pieces if they end up as nameless orphans.

Added bonus: I’ll never forget my surprise when I had purchased a piece of jewellery I was really excited about, only to discover I already owned one….believe me, there will be a point in time that you do not remember exactly what’s in your collection.

When purchasing jewellery with a gallery or online, ask for a comprehensive provenance that outlines its journey through time. You will have absolutely no problem obtaining this from reputable sellers! And, if you’re the first person to buy a piece in the country of origin itself, its provenance journey starts with you: download this free resource to do that in 5 easy, proven steps.

Why should you even care about provenance for jewellery from the Middle East and North Africa? Well, ultimately, a piece with a well-documented provenance ensures a transparent and trustworthy collection.

And while it may not matter to you now, as provenance only continues to increase in importance, it will be very relevant once you’d like to donate or sell your collection in the future. This post provides you with a clear action plan to approach a museum.

Of course, the jewellery itself speaks to its value and importance! But missing provenance may still cause the value of your collection to plummet, while outstanding provenance has proven to actually increase its value.

Want to start documenting your collection, but have no idea where to start? This course shows you step by step, including templates, checklists and how-to’s!

3. Failing to authenticate materials

Now here’s a field I made errors of judgment in, too. How to recognize real amber and coral from a photograph, for example? The Drawer of Shame contains bloopers here, too.

What is presented as silver may actually be low-grade silver or even base metal, and what about those murky waters of gemstones? Failing to authenticate these elements can lead to costly oversights, as I have learned in the past.

Granted, it’s a mistake you’ll only make once, but still. That feeling of having misjudged is just painful. There’s a reason I call it the Drawer of Shame instead of the Drawer of Valuable Lessons Learned, after all.

Related to that is insight in the use of synthetic materials: they really do not have to be indicators of reproductions. You just need to know which is which…for which I refer back to point number 1 above.

Synthetic materials may be authentic replacements, or even part of its design from the start. Click here to see some surprising examples of pieces that were actually designed with plastic.

I’d say it is crucial to be well-versed in the materials commonly employed in Middle Eastern jewellery, and their uses during different time periods. This, too, takes time and learning.

4. Ignoring preservation and maintenance practices

So, you’ve successfully purchased a piece of jewellery…and then all of a sudden it has turned green from verdigris. Yes, been there, too! And that panic attack is one I will not lightly forget.

Silver jewellery requires attention and care to preserve its beauty. Ignoring proper preservation and maintenance practices can result in irreversible damage, diminishing the value of your collection.

How to avoid your collection ending up damaged? For this, you’ll want to implement careful storage practices: see 4 simple tips on how to store – and how not to store – silver here.

A second advice is to regularly inspect pieces for signs of wear, loose settings, or corroded metal. By adopting a proactive approach to preservation, you safeguard the longevity and quality of your wonderful collection.

Quick tip: since that encounter with the Green Monster, I go over my collection twice a year. Around the end of the year, in the holiday season, and roughly halfway through the year during my Summer break.

5. Underestimating the power of connecting with others

Building a collection of vintage and antique jewellery from the Middle East is an ongoing learning process, and that is also the fun of it. I honestly learn something new every day!

Networking with experts and fellow collectors is fun, stimulating and productive. Underestimating the importance of connecting with individuals who share a passion for the same niche can limit your growth as a collector.

That sounds like a big claim, but think of it as an ever-expanding circle: see more, learn more, lessen your chances of getting duped.

For me, I noticed that I started to make significantly less mistakes when I started learning from others. Having conversations works both ways and develops never-ending, mutual learning.

And most of all: I gained friendships and a community that are just invaluable. Thank you for being here!

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Where can I find more on traditional jewellery from Southwest Asia and North Africa?

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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.

THOBNA

THOBNA

by | Reviews

Palestinian dress research

THOBNA. Reclaiming Palestinian dresses in the diaspora

Published Dec 22, 2023

What power does a dress hold, personally, but also historically? Wafa Ghnaim’s second book THOBNA. Reclaiming Palestinian dresses in the diaspora investigates the memory of women through their dress. The result is a book that is personal and powerful, a study that sets a new standard for dress research.

The book 'Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver' shown with an Omani gold and silver necklace.

THOBNA: our dress

The title, THOBNA, means ‘our dress’. That reflects the viewpoint of this book: it is written by a Palestinian artist and scholar. In the introduction, Wafa shares her evolving points of view and understanding since Tatreez and Tea was published. THOBNA focuses on resistance embroidery in its historical and actual context.

Palestinian tatreez: flipping the perspective

THOBNA regards dress as living history (p. 37). The importance here is the realization that the woman creating and wearing the dress is central to its decoration and the story it shares. Tracing back embroidery only to its historic roots will only get you so far: it has always moved in sync with its people.

The first two chapters discuss that perspective. First, the dress is placed in the historical context of its people. In doing so, Wafa questions the usual method of describing dresses as ‘pre- or post 1948’, ‘traditional’ and ‘modern’. By following the wider context of the history of Palestinian people, she is able to identify a much more detailed development in dress styles, tied directly to circumstances and historical shifts.

Next, she traces the embroidery styles that have contributed to tatreez and dress as they exist today to deeper history in the wider geographical area of Southwest Asia. Discussing sources and the role that museums objects can play in this type of research, she then zooms in on dress styles from the 1850s onwards.

This is an incredibly important chapter to read. It blends together detailed experiences of reality after 1948 with artistic and resistance developments.

Dress research: ten portraits

Ten Palestinian dresses are analyzed in detail and serve as a sampler of how much more information may be learned from thorough dress study. In this chapter, Wafa identifies the maker of a dress as ‘Maker Once Known’ instead of ‘Unknown Artist’ – a beautiful way of flipping the perspective again, of acknowledging a maker whose name we no longer know, but whose story is preserved in her dress.

And there is so much to be decoded in these dresses. An example that resonated with me is a dress from the Gaza region (p. 71). It was altered several times, its changing fabrics indicating displacement and wear by different persons. Importantly here, Wafa includes the history of the dress during the time it was with its collector – these, too, may have altered dresses and as such obscuring parts of its Palestinian biography.

Tatreez: symbolism and colour by decade

As a result of her in-depth study, Wafa reflects on symbolism and shares her insights on how to date a thobe by its colour scheme. This latter chapter is very important for anyone studying dress, as it provides not only colour schemes per century and per region, but also explains how these came to be and how they remained associated with regional identities even after the 1948 depopulation of these regions.

The symbolism chapter in particular is another example of living history. For jewellery, I can’t stress enough that any given symbol may carry different meaning for different people in different timeframes. Symbolism is never static. For the meaning of patterns on a dress, THOBNA adds the crucial insight that these not only vary over time and geographically, but also per family. Every family has its own history, its own way of expressing, and that is reflected in the forms chosen. And that brings me to the value of knowledge and how we achieve it.

Knowledge: lived, learned, passed on

If I were to describe THOBNA in one word, it would be understanding of knowledge (okay, that’s three). Apart from knowledge of historical events, as outlined above, there is Elder knowledge or ancestral knowledge to incorporate in research. Tangible heritage is always accompanied by intangible heritage: stories, poems, songs, expressions and personal memories. But these are rarely included in research. even though they contribute a unique perspective on living heritage.

Knowledge comes, for cultural outsiders, also in the form of awareness. In the last three chapters, Wafa shares many detailed stitches, materials, how-to’s, patterns and their meaning with us, and guides us clearly and gently in how to respect these properly.

 

“May THOBNA provide an artistic means for you to study and learn about Palestinian resistance from our perspective”

THOBNA: integral dress research

Do not expect easy lists or clear-cut criteria in this book, although the thobe diagram, colour guides and patterns provided are very detailed. Rather, immerse yourself in the ever-evolving world of dress and its people. Studying THOBNA will allow you to develop a deeper understanding of the multifaceted world of Palestinian dress, as seen through the eyes of a Palestinian researcher and artist.

That is what makes this book stand out, too. It combines the perspectives of scholarly research, indigenous living heritage and the actual experience of the artist. It discusses dress from all these perspectives, and it does so in the past, present and future tense.

That is how it sets a new standard for dress research: there are so many details to take into account to properly reconstruct the narrative of the creators and wearers of dress that it needs all these perspectives, not just the art historical point of view.

If you are in any way involved in Palestinian dress, either as a curator or a collector, you will really want to read this book.

And now even more so, because THOBNA was published in the summer of 2023. On p. 91, we read:

‘THOBNA is a commitment to reclamation. Therefore, Chapter 9 focuses primarily on the patterns stitched during the First and Second Intifada, when Palestinian women used tatreez as an artistic expression worn on their bodies that held the world to account for turning a blind eye to the suffering of Palestinians under Israeli occupation, reiterating their right of return and asserting their undeniable need for freedom.’

Since then, the truth in these words has become shockingly clear once again.

More information on THOBNA. Reclaiming Palestinian dresses in the diaspora.

Title: THOBNA. Reclaiming Palestinian dresses in the diaspora. By Wafa Ghnaim, 2023. 189 pages, full colour, in English.

Published by The Tatreez Institute, Washington D.C.

Available with the author and on Amazon.

More on Wafa’s work can be found here on the Tatreez and Tea website.

I received the book as thank you for the crowdfunding, which I am proud to have supported.

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Where can I find more on traditional jewellery from Southwest Asia and North Africa?

More book reviews of books on personal adornment? Browse them all here!

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Looking for background information on your jewellery? Have a look at the courses – there’s so much available on the world of the jewellery from North Africa and the Middle East!

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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. 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.

Gold dinars at a glance

Gold dinars at a glance

by | Reviews

Un tresor en or: le dinar dans tous ses etats

Gold dinars from all sides

Published Dec 18, 2023

A small blog on a small book filled with treasure! The booklet ‘Un trésor en or – Le dinar dans tous ses États’, published by the Institut du Monde Arabe, is a lovely, and surprisingly complete, introduction into the field of gold dinars from the Islamic world. It’s primarily aimed at kids, but this slightly older kid enjoyed it, too!

Cover of the book Le dinar dans tous ses Etats

Gold dinars: the stories they hold

This tiny publication presents 428 gold dinars shown in the exhibition of the same name, held at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Spring 2023. In just 47 illustrated pages, it introduces the length and width of the world these coins represent. For example, did you know the word dinar is derived from the coin called denarius in Latin? I love these historical continuities.

The booklet explores where the gold for these coins came from, its preferred alloy, its shapes and inscriptions, but there is much more than that. Each spread in the book covers a different topic: Christian dinars, dinars with zodiac signs, calligraphy, names of sultans and caliphs…and let’s not forget dinars struck by women rulers.

It brings several useful introductory schematics, too: how to describe coins, a map with minting offices in the medieval Islamic world, and a very useful overview of all those dynasties and countries at a glance.

Gold dinars: a tiny treasure

Like I said, this is a very small booklet, but it covers much ground! Although it is primarily aimed at kids, I find it a very well executed example of introducing the span of stories a coin can share to a wider audience. It is accessible, abundantly illustrated, and informative: a tiny treasure in itself.

And that makes me look forward to the forthcoming publication of the coin collection in the Khalili Collections even more…!

More information on Un trésor en or – Le dinar dans tous ses États’

Title: Un trésor en or – Le dinar dans tous ses États’. 2023 47 pages, full colour, in French.

Published by the Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA), Paris.

Available in the webshop of the IMA.

I purchased this booklet in the museum shop of the Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris.

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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. 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.