A Group of Gold Jewelry, Morocco, Iran, Bukhara, India, Most Circa 1880-1900

Paneled necklace: The Sephardic Journey: 1492-1992, Yeshiva University Museum, NY, 1992, p.229-230, fig.157.

Jewelry produced in the Middle East and North Africa has dazzled collectors' eyes for centuries, admired as a window into the vibrant artistic and cultural histories of these regions. Lesser known, however, is that the majority of silversmiths and goldsmiths in many of these countries were Jewish artisans. Particularly in the nineteenth century, Jewish craftsmen produced silver and gold jewelry by traditions customarily passed down from father to son and for special occasions such as weddings. In Morocco and Iran, jewelry was given to brides on their wedding days and used as part of their dowries. The traditional Moroccan mdama belt, very similar in shape, style, and material to the belt in this lot, was worn by women to cinch in caftans or takchitas and became one of the most important pieces in a woman's dowry. Many jewelry pieces from around these regions featured colorful stones and were combined with amulets, the most popular being hamsas or fibulae, to protect the wearer from evil spirits. It is important to note that while many of the craftsmen were Jewish and produced their items for Jewish owners, the styles and materials they used reflect the intercultural and artistic engagement between the Jewish and Muslim communities in these regions, in turn illustrating the important complexity of Middle Eastern and North African Jewry.

Other models of two of pairs of earrings are featured in Ora Schwartz-Be'eri, The Jews of Kurdistan: Daily Life, Customs, Arts and Crafts, p.196-97, figs. 12/2 and 11.