Omani silver taswira amulets: fertility and protective jewellery

by dr. Sigrid van Roode | Magic & Amulets

Rare amulets from Oman

Omani silver taswira amulets

Updated October 2, 2025

Bringing you super rare amulet pendants from Oman! Among the many forms of Omani jewellery, there is one type that stands out for both its rarity and meaning: the silver taswira amulet. These small, human-shaped pendants are not just ornaments. They were believed to help women conceive and to protect children from harm. Taswira amulets today are seldom seen, making them all the more intriguing for anyone studying or collecting traditional Omani jewellery. In this post, part of my series on amulets & charms in Middle Eastern jewellery, we’ll look at what these amulets are, what they meant, and how they were worn.

Photocollage of a vintage photo of a Baluch Lady from Muscat and the Muscat cityscape, made by Sigrid van Roode

**Omani taswira ornaments:** what are they?

These small, human-shaped pendants are called taswira. [1] They are quite rare: already in 2000, Forster mentions them as ‘unique’. [2] They seem to have been worn throughout northern Oman, and are executed in different regional styles. Pendants from the area of Nizwa are recognizable by their little arms, but a comprehensive regional study still needs to be carried out. [3]

Their name means ‘image’, and as you see, they represent a human form with heavy hips and belly. In two cases in the above image, it’s only the legs and hips that form the amulet.

Fertility and protection: the meaning of taswira amulets

So, what are these for? As with many amulets, they can be used for several purposes: they would be worn by women wanting to become mothers as well as by small children. The shape of the amulet accommodates both: the heavy hips and belly feature in fertility symbols around the world, and the tiny figure fits a tiny human.

Protecting children has always been incredibly important, and so these amulets in the shape of stylized human forms have been cherished deeply.⁠

A silver hair clip from Oman, called halqa

**How taswira amulets** were worn in Oman

Morris and Shelton note that they were worn strung onto a rod, with a red bead on either side: a characteristic style of Oman. [4] But that is not the only way these pendants were worn.

They could also be strung onto a short necklace, along with a few silver and coral beads. Forster shows such a necklace which also holds a few silver beads, a perfume bottle stopper set in silver, and a piece of horn. [5] You’ll see examples of these indvidual components in the image above.

Very importantly, she also mentions that these necklaces do not follow a set design: as I have written about earlier, the composition of a necklace is not set in stone. A woman would string these pendants with whatever materials she felt would enhance its efficacy.

Interestingly, similar added pendants would be worn by children. As child mortality rates used to be high, children all over the world are often seen wearing amulets of one type or another. In Oman, small amulets of teeth, horn, bone, coral etc would be worn, strung on a necklace alongside a small silver amulet container.

Children would wear the taswira around their neck, but also braided into their hair [6]: another way in which hair and amulets are closely connected.

**Omani taswira amulets as** tangible symbols of love and care

These amulets are unique to Oman, and nowadays are quite rare. They are still very little researched, and it would be great to compile an overview of all these currently in collections, with their collection history, any notes taken and provenance, and so to learn more about them!

And as with all forms of amulets, I love how they share the universal hope of being safe and protected. ⁠

**Omani taswira amulets:** a universal sentiment

These silver pendants, whether strung on rods with beads, braided into hair, or worn as necklaces, carried the hopes of fertility, safety, and long life. They show how deeply jewellery was tied to the most human of concerns: the well-being of family and children. Though rare, their presence in collections today allows us to trace the continuity of belief and practice across Oman’s jewellery traditions. Taswira amulets may be small, but their cultural weight is immense!

Frequently Asked Questions about Omani silver taswira amulets

What is a taswira amulet in Omani jewellery?
A taswira is a small, human-shaped silver pendant from Oman, believed to offer fertility and protection.

Why are Omani taswira amulets considered rare?
They are not often seen in old photographs or old collections, and few examples survive today, making them rare cultural artefacts.

How were taswira amulets worn in Oman?
They could be strung on rods with beads, worn as necklaces with coral and silver, or even braided into children’s hair.

What was the purpose of taswira amulets?
They were believed to help women conceive and to protect children from harm, reflecting universal hopes of safety and life.

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References

[1] M. Morris & P. Shelton 1997. Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver, p. 107.

[2] A. Forster 2000. Disappearing Treasures of Oman, p. 127.

[3] M. Morris & P. Shelton 1997. Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver, p. 107.

[4] M. Morris & P. Shelton 1997. Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver, p. 107.

[5] A. Forster 2000. Disappearing Treasures of Oman, p. 47-48.

[6] M. Morris & P. Shelton 1997. Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver, p. 107.

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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.

Omani silver braid ornaments

by dr. Sigrid van Roode | Objects

Hair jewellery from Oman

Omani silver braid ornaments

Published Jan 15, 2024

A look at braid ornaments from Oman today! There is a wealth or hair- and head ornaments from Oman, and in this article, I will focus only two of those: the braid ornament called halqa, and the braid ornaments known as athaqil. How were they worn? What is the meaning of these silver hair ornaments? And there’s a particular use of these you may not expect…!

Omani braid ornaments: the halqa plait ornament

In the Interior of Oman, a large round ornament was worn in the hair. It looks like a large circle in silver, with a T-shaped division in the centre. These were woven into the hair itself. Imagine a series of long, fine braids, which were kept together by an artificial plait of goat’s hair. That would have been woven through horizontally, also passing through the silver hair ornament. [1]

Omani silver braid ornaments: the halqa clip

Smaller versions of this ornament were not worked into the braids themselves, but attached to their ends, like a clip. [2] These usually are decorated with an image of the crescent moon and a large single star. Because of the pin on their reverse, they were also worn as brooches: the image above shows a woman wearing such a clip on her dress, closing the collar. These are multifunctional items!

A set of five silver athaqil hair ornaments, Oman

Omani braid ornaments: athaqil pendants

Another way of adorning plaits was by attaching small ornaments to their ends. This was a tradition Dhofar, in southern Oman. These ornaments are called athqul, or athaqil in the plural. [3] You will know them in silver, but they also existed in simpler forms such as leather with cowrie shells or entirely beaded forms. [4]

So how were these worn? They were not attached to the braids directly, but suspended on black woolen cords that were then plaited along with the braid itself. [5]

According to Morris and Shelton, the number of silver braid ornaments differed with who was wearing them: unmarried girls would wear them in sets of 6, and married women in sets of 8 or even 10. [6] That number is often repeated in literature, but Ruth Hawley mentions 20 years earlier that girls would wear a set of 10 pendants. [7]

I believe the number of ornaments may not have been based primarily on the wearers’ married or unmarried status, but rather on the financial means of her family. For married women, this amount of extra silver was also part of their own savings’ account.

Braid ornaments as amulets

Braid ornaments carry meaning as amulets, too. That is because of their decoration and execution, but also because of their close association with hair itself.

First, the placement of these braid ornaments is important. They hang on the back of the wearer. This is a vulnerable place, because how will you know a jinn is not attacking you from behind? Many cultures adorn the back of a person to protect them from unseen attackers, and that is one of the purposes these Omani braid ornaments serve.

The silver plait-clips often carry the motif of the crescent with a star. This is in itself a very old symbol that predates Islam: click here to read more about its origins and almost forgotten meaning. Oman is famous for its elegant floral decoration, and this is something you will find on plait clips, too. [8]

The colours of the beads you will sometimes find strung in with these hair ornaments, also carries meaning. [9] Blue and red are the main colours to keep evil spirits away, coral is an often-used material as it brings wisdom and blessing, and of course is red of itself, too.

The athaqil may have had another capacity that has long since vanished, and that is the power of smell. They were stuffed to keep the silver from damaging [10]: as these ornaments are hollow, they might end up dented. But that stuffing sometimes was soaked in scented substances: as such, it would keep evil at a distance. [11]

And of course, all of these jingled! So you see how these hair ornaments are layered with meaning, and that meaning may even be present in different forms of jewellery. Let’s go into that next!

An Omani silver veil ornament called sils

Silver body chain manjad with a veil ornament attached

Braid ornaments as part of other Omani jewellery

An interesting use of pendants used as hair jewellery or veil jewellery is their attachment to the body chain known as manjad. This is a lengthy, silver chain that was worn across the body, from the shoulder to opposite hip. At its end, so dangling on or just above the hip, is a pendant as counterweight: it pulls the chain down and keeps it in place.

And that pendant is often one of the pendants you would wear in your hair, or on your veil. See an example in the gallery above where a veil ornament called sils has been attached to the chain. They also exist with a single athgul attached to the chain [12]

Now the thing is that this body chain was worn beneath the clothes. Its upper part was partly visible as necklines used to be much lower [13], but the lower part with the added hair ornament would be invisible. It was only worn by married women, and most authors suspect that it may have something to do with fertility. [14]

They did not note the recurring addition of hair ornaments, though, but I think this reinforces the suggestion of this chain as an amulet.

A selection of Omani silver hair ornaments

The afterlife of Omani silver braid ornaments

Like everywhere in the world, traditional dress and jewellery change over time. In Oman, significant changes in dress and jewellery appeared around the 1970s. Hair jewellery such as the athaqil and the halqa were no longer worn in the hair. Instead, they were repurposed into jewellery that could still be worn.

The hair clips in particular are very often repurposed into pendants. An example is in the gallery above: click to enlarge the photo. The halqa on the upper left has been reworked into a necklace. It continues to be a beautiful piece of adornment, but in a different way.

The athaqil, too, were repurposed. You may find them as pendants on a necklace, a practice noted in 2000. [15]

Omani silver braid ornaments: a living heritage

These braid ornaments formed an important part of the distinction between girls and married woman, as outlined in this article on the many roles ethnic jewellery can have. Today, they are much sought-after collectable items. Many expats who lived in Oman during the 70s and 80s brought these braid ornaments home with them: the set of athaqil I showed you in this post, belonged to Shirley Black-Temple. Ornaments like these continue to be worn on national holidays and festive occasions, and are used in new designs by Omani silversmiths and designers. They are pieces with a long history, ready for a long future.

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References

[1] A. Forster 2000. Disappearing Treasures of Oman, p. 66; R. Hawley 1978. Omani Silver, a book without page numbering (why, publisher, why??), but this on the page that starts the section on Hair Decorations. She adds that these were worn in places such as Bahla and Jabrin. J.S. Rahab 1997. Silver Jewellery of Oman, p. 24 also mentions Bahla and Jabrin, but it’s not clear if this is her own observation or that she is citing Hawley.

[2] A. Forster 2000. Disappearing Treasures of Oman, p. 66; M. Morris & P. Shelton 1997. Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver, p. 129 for a photo.

[3] M. Morris & P. Shelton 1997. Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver, p. 234.

[4] M. Morris & P. Shelton 1997. Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver, p. 312-313.

[5] M. Morris & P. Shelton 1997. Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver, p. 234.

[6] R. Hawley 1978. Omani Silver. This is on the second-last page.

[7] See an example in the British Museum collection here.

[8] See an example in P. Hoesli 2023, Shine & Mystery. The Splendour and Power of Oriental Jewellery, p. 132.

[9] See my book Desert Silver or the Amulets-course for an introduction of colours and materials as amulets.

[10] M. Morris & P. Shelton 1997. Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver, p. 234.

[11] A. Forster 2000. Disappearing Treasures of Oman, p. 67. See my book Silver & Frankincense or the Scents of the Middle East-course for more about this practice.

[12] J.S. Rahab 1997. Silver Jewellery of Oman, p. 34 for an example with an athgul.

[13] M. Morris & P. Shelton 1997. Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver, p. 263.

[14] R. Hawley 1978, Omani Silver. Again, as this book has no page numbering, I can only tell you it’s on the page that starts the section on Dhofari Silver, near the end of the book. M. Morris & P. Shelton 1997. Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver, p. 264. A. Forster 2000. Disappearing Treasures of Oman, p. 92.

[15] A. Forster 2000. Disappearing Treasures of Oman, p. 67.

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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.

Oman Adorned

by dr. Sigrid van Roode | Reviews

Omani silver jewellery

Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver

Published Dec 15, 2023

It’s a book that has been out for almost 30 years….Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver was published in 1997, but still is on the ‘most wanted’-list for many collectors. What is it about this book that makes it such a must-have, even though it has been out of print for decades?

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

Oman Adorned: a hard to find book

I myself have been looking for this book for the better part of 12 years. And when I finally obtained a copy in 2023, I could not believe my luck! So, what’s the big deal about this book? Is it worth the hype?

I’d say: yes, it is. And that is not because I purchased it at a steep price and am now trying to convince myself, rather than anyone else, that it was worth it. (looking at you, new pair of overpriced shoes!) In all transparency, I hit the book jackpot for once, with a bookstore who did not realize the value of its contents for collectors and sold it at a very reasonable price.

Omani silver jewellery: an overview

Oman Adorned presents the silver jewellery tradition of Oman in three parts. These are geographically defined between Northern Oman, Central Oman and Southern Oman.

Where it truly excels, is in providing the cultural context and original names of things. And those names are not just given for the jewellery pieces themselves, but also often for its individual components: beads, dangles, coins…and even the sound some hollow anklets with small pebbles on the inside make is mentioned with its own name.

For each jewel, the book describes how and when it was worn. A large number of photographs shows what that looked like. The introductory chapter brings the history and geography of Oman, and throughout the book its various cultures are presented.

Detail of Dhofari silver jewellery from Oman.

Living Omani silver: trade, background and culture

On top of all this, all three parts of Oman Adorned include background information beyond the pieces themselves. There’s a chapter on silver jewellery for children, and jewellery in relation to the lives of women: how and when they obtain silver jewellery and why.

You’ll also find a chapter on silver jewellery and the Omani zar ceremony, the difference in jewellery and meaning between boys, men, girls and women, and chapters on trade and ownership. You’ll read how babies’ ears were pierced, how anklets added to the festivities of dance, how kohl was produced and hair was braided.

As such, Oman Adorned covers many more aspects of jewellery than just the ornamental. It discusses silver jewellery as ornament, as possession, as amulet, and as part of economic trade and household economy.

And that is what sets it aside from other books on jewellery: many of them present jewellery with only very little information, and this book places jewellery squarely in its cultural context.

Limits of Oman Adorned

As you see, this is a must-have book in its detailed descriptions and background information. And even this thorough work has its limits.

The book is extremely well-researched, but it is not complete. And it could never be, because jewellery is living heritage that changes along with its makers and wearers: creativity cannot be frozen in time, or in book pages for that matter.

As the authors themselves already write in their foreword, there is so much more on Omani adornment they did not get around to investigating. They also note the gaps in knowledge and jewellery as a result of collecting: a super important point that many other books do not address. See more about that here.

They describe this book as ‘a start’ – and if this is the start, you’ll get an idea of how much more is out there…! Incidentally, the wonderful research project on Omani silver carried out by several research partners is a fantastic follow-up: click here to read more about this exciting project! The Dhofari jewellery shown above was on display in the British Museum in the accompanying exhibition, celebrating Omani silversmithing.

Oman Adorned: how to get it

Now that is the most difficult part! The book has been out of print for decades, and getting your hands on a copy is no easy task. Of course, we all hope that we will run into a copy in that small charity shop, at the sale of the local library or in that huge bookshop with second-hand books…but those odds are slim. It does pop up irregularly online, but that is indeed a rare occasion.

Booksite Find More Books keeps track of online bookstores and other digital platforms. They cast their search net wide, and include results from (among others) AbeBooks, Amazon, Ebay and roughly 60,000 antiquarian book dealers. With the search results for your title, it also shows a graph where readers can see how the price of a book develops over time and how often it is offered for sale. The results for Oman Adorned are telling: it has not been seen online between 2016 and 2023.

Oman Adorned: what is a reasonable price for this book?

There is no easy answer to this one! Its current value is determined largely by its scarcity and lack of competition: it’s a rare book, and a very detailed one. Anyone can make a catalogue, let’s say, but this book goes above and beyond that.

But, if it were to be reprinted, and with such high demand I wonder why it hasn’t already, the value of existing copies would plummet. And imagine…if a new book on Omani silver were to be published, provided it matches the detail and knowledge in Oman Adorned, the price would decrease, too.

I suppose the consideration is not so much to see it as an investment. It rather depends on the balance between the value of knowledge and insight, and your budget. For me, this is an exceptionally good (actually indispensable) book to help me in identifying and studying Omani silver. But, although I have come across a few copies incidentally earlier, those outweighed my means. Simple as that.

So, I located it in a library, and went there whenever I needed to look something up. Worldcat is a great resource for locating titles in libraries, but… here as well, it’s a rare title.

Are you looking for a copy of Oman Adorned? Set search alerts online, with your local bookstore, and…keep looking! It may take time, but if I found one, there is hope for you, too.

Do you own a copy that you wish to sell? Contact me and I’ll help you get in touch with people who would treasure it. Again, in all transparency: I will not be selling it for you – I will simply provide guidance on how to find a buyer who truly appreciates it.

Oman Adorned: an exceptional book

Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver is not just a phenomenal book in its wide variety of jewellery types, but very much also because of its rich and detailed social, historical and cultural context. This book is way more than a catalogue of things: it truly is a portrait of this beautiful country as seen through its jewellery.

More information on Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver

Title: Oman Adorned. A Portrait in Silver. By Dr. Miranda Morris & Pauline Shelton, 1997. 362 pages, full colour, in English.

Published by Apex Publishing, Muscat 7 London.

I purchased this book in a second-hand bookstore online.

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

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.