March 2011 Blog Posts (16)

Here is a great article about S.M. Dudin, the iconic photo-explorer of Central Asia-- it is from another of my favorite commercial-informative sites, T. Cole. These pics always make me wish I had been alive and exploring in the late nineteenth, early twentieth century. Buying a little of the ethnic magic available back in that time would have been a great experience as well.

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Since Sarah has been so kind as to add her photos to this site, I thought I might add a favorite link of mine -- anahita gallery -- it is a commercial link but it contains links to their vast collection of historic Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Japanese photos --  This gallery also has very informative discourse on ethnic jewelry and dress- my favorite is the one about Turkoman embroidery which renewed my interest in collection when I first read it about 10 years ago. Anyway, a wonderful…

WolfgangsArticle.pdf

Wanted to include this illustrated lecture about Uzbek clothing because it is so varied and so wonderful. Some of the older styles, particularly chapan , are still available but it is fast becoming very difficult to find. I am particularly fascinated by the horsehair veils which city women were required to wear -- there is in Samarqand a statue dedicated to the first woman who threw off the horsehair veil.

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This is a wonderful website dealing with the Rashaida, of the Sudan, Eritrea, Horn of Africa. Jewelry and artifacts from these people are especially difficult to find, they are  noted for their complex, heavy silver woven veils and heavy, classical silver bracelets. The website itself looks especially interesting because it has links to info about other elusive tribes.…

The destruction of the Buddhas by the Taliban was agonizing to witness a profound loss to the cultural heritage of Afghanistan. There seems to be some controversy in restoring, rebuilding these monuments, here is the latest information. I have mixed feelings about this but, in the end, the Afghan people should prevail in this decision. 

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gold

click on the link to see  feature x

Dinka corset

Photo added by Joost Dadler to his facebook pages…

Dear all,

Just finished a short online article on the use of magical squares as are often seen in jewelry (amulets mostly). These squares do intrigue me...does anyone here have any examples of magical squares used in jewelry? Here you will find the article. It would be of much help if I could perhaps see pictures of magical squares you might know…