A digital archive showcasing the extensive collection of jewellery and adornment images shared on the former Ethnic Jewels Ning site over the years. These images have significantly enriched discussions on cultural adornment and its global dispersion.
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Wow I love them!
More beauties! Spectacular. Are they hollow or solid? (then they would be quite heavy). From Tunis medina (having crossed the border)? or bought on site?
These are solid and a bit heavy. I just found them today in the Tunis Medina. The shop keeper sold them to me by weight at the bottom per-gram price, so I thought they were too good a bargain to pass up! I think they probably entered Tunisia from the southern border and somehow found their way up to Tunis.
Quite right to leap on the opportunity Edith. It might not come up again.I wonder whether these are rare? I mean by that that I have never seen any similar ......But then I know very little about Libyan jewels......
Another area which may need researching! I shall scan uni. library to see whether there are hundreds of these (studies) or none! But as P.Eudel might not have covered these, some Italian ethnographer may have? Maybe something will come up from the new Libya? Do you think that there are more Libyan pieces now in Tunisia?
I am really pleased with these ornaments, especially since they are a matching pair (I have occasionally seen single rings missing their mate). I don't think, however, that these are terribly rare. Similar ones are described by Elena Schenone Alberini in her book on Libyan jewelry. Similar earrings are also described by Sethom in one of her books about Tunisian jewelry (described as Libyan pieces that appear in Tunisia). I am sure that you are correct regarding the Italians, and it would not surprise me to find descriptions of these pieces in Italian. The Italians apparently set up a jewelry school in Tripoli years ago, and so I am sure they have written a lot on the subject. Although I think that there have always been pieces of Libyan stuff ending up here in Tunis, I do think there may be a bit more than usual at the moment. The Libyans are beginning to go home, so let's see now if I keep finding Libyan items in the Medina.
Hi Edith, i see that your tunis medina odysseys are still being fruitful.
It is a good thing that you got the Eleana schenone alberini book on libyan jewelry, wich to my knowledge is the only study available in this subject.
I got one on ebay not so long ago and it has brought many an answer to my north african/ berber jewelry questions and researches.
I am just loving libyan jewelry wich is a unique blend between the bold bedouin influence and the hieratic berber adornment, yet still connected to the rest of north african and saharan silversmithing traditions.
Keep up the good work
Thanks Ayis! A friend of mine referred me to the Libyan book, of which I managed to find a used copy on-line. I am also fortunate to have copies of both Sethom books, and I have skimmed the text in them, but my French is marginal. Apparently both Sethom books are now out-of-print. There does not seem to be anything substantial on Tunisian jewelry in English...do you know of any other publications? I think a bibliographical data-base that we could all add to and access may be a useful addition to our forum. What do you think?
brilliant idea.
Can you give me the titles of sethom both books.
I have got one and now that you said, i was about to buy a second but thought it was the same!!
OUTSTANDING!! Congratulations. I am quite jealous. And I completely agree with your assessment, Edith, about elegant simplicity, and the hallmarks being part of the design. They pieces look well-used, too!
Ayis: Here are the names of the Sethom books I have.
Le Bijou Traditionnel en Tunisie by Samira Gargouri-Sethom, Edisud Publishers (1986)
Les Bijoux De Tunisie by Jacques Perez (photos) and Sethom (text), Regards collection - Dunes Editions (2005)
THe first title is much more academic, very comprehensive and useful, but lousy photos. THe second title is more of a "coffee table" book with terrific photos. I also have the following...
Symbols et Bijoux taditionnels de Tunisie, by Clemence Sugier, Editions Ceres, (no date on cover)
All of these are in French and out-of-print! THe Sugier book very brief and specific in its treatment of the subject, but has useful detail photos of smaller jewelry elements.
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