Belt - Algeria - Photos - Ethnic Jewels

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Posted by Peter Hoesli on September 3, 2015 at 7:54am

The method with which this cast belt was manufactured is quite old. The front buckle is featuring a fish.

Chantal September 3, 2015 at 11:24am

Superb. I love it. Another treasure.
Thelma September 3, 2015 at 3:18pm

Dear Peter, a beautiful belt. I wonder if the fish is symbolic or just decorative?
Peter Hoesli September 3, 2015 at 7:27pm

Dear Chantal and Thelma; Many thanks for your comments. The fish is definitely symbolic - it is a "symbol of fertility and life". I have seen pretty much the same belt in a museum book. Hence, it is a classic belt, which does not change much in shape. When I saw it at an auction, I immediately bought it. While the item was accurately described without mentioning the country of origin, the Algerian origin does not come immediately into mind as one is usually associating the Kabyle jewelry to Algeria only. With kind regards. Peter
ingrid Langerak September 19, 2015 at 12:09pm

Dear Peter, another lovely belt. I hadn't seen it yet. Very solid and delicate at the seem time. Solid because of the amount of silver used and delicate because the perfect executed design giving a lacy picture. All in all a proper Algerian or Tunisian belt. Their work is always so precisely done. You write that it is a cast belt, I can see that with the back but the like the cast crosses (lost wax system of Ethiopia) the file grain in the front is that added after the casting? Like the crosses? Gr. Ingrid.