Photos

Comments

• 

  Lynn Ardent May 22, 2015 at 3:01pm

  Oh my, I just love this ring!  My guess is Omani. 
• 

  Sumaiya May 22, 2015 at 7:28pm

  we are wearing the same like this in Oman we call it "Shaheed " until now but  as gold
• 

  ingrid Langerak May 22, 2015 at 10:17pm

  It comes over to me as from Oman as well.  Gr. Ingrid.
• 

  Alaa eddine SAGID May 23, 2015 at 12:14am

  Oman also, but border with yemen have often prooved to be porous  (often Omani features found their way into neighbouring Yemen)

  Sumaiya is right, it is called "shaheed", which mean the "witness" and is connected to the index finger often used in islamic faith when raised alone to procalim the ritual muslim "shahadah" so the devotee " bears witness that there is no god but Allah and his messenger is Muhammad"

  I don't know Sumaiya's age, but she must not be old enough to have seen these made in silver, Omani women (along with other women from the gulf states) as the oil cash quickly flew in transformed many of their silver jewels in gold but kept the old deigns and shapes.....until it was unfortunately much more economically interesting for the smiths to import readily made designs from India and Pakistan!!
• 

  Betty May 23, 2015 at 1:33pm

  Thank you everyone for your helpful comments. It also struck me as more Omani than Yemeni in design, but then again, as Alaa points out, modern national borders do not mean much when it comes to cultural features, so it might well be made in Yemen but influenced by  designs from Oman.

  Unfortunately I cannot wear it comfortably on the index finger as would be traditional; but it is wonderful to wear and complements my silver purse which has the "shahadah" engraved on its lid. Again, thank you, Alaa, for this information.