Articles

  • Rare Carved Beads from Mauritania

    These mysterious beads have always been highly desirable, and when rare examples reach the market there is always keen interest.

    These... Continue Reading

  • Symbolism in Global Jewelry

    Sindi Schloss

    ISBN: 978-0-578-39268-4

    Sindi Schloss is a graduate gemologist, jewellery appraiser and historian. Her... Continue Reading

  • Shine & Mistery

    The splendour and power of oriental jewellery.

    A review by Sarah Corbett

    Author : Knauf... Continue Reading

  • Powerful Jewellery – Emancipation.

    By Sarah Corbett

    The Balangalan. Brazil.

    The number of enslaved African people who were trafficked... Continue Reading

  • A Jewellery Journey Through Time

    By Sarah Corbett

    Let’s Share a journey…

    A journey to three places which have... Continue Reading

  • Future Generation Silversmiths

    Djerba_ Tunisia

    By Mustafa J. Salem

    Many people think that most traditional silversmiths who craft... Continue Reading

  • Creating Scented Paste Tanit Pendants


    By Charlotte Dakin-Norris


    I was commissioned by Sarah Corbett to make a limited run of 30 Tanit pendants using scented paste.

    ... Continue Reading
  • Ikat from Timor and it’s Outer Islands

    -Insular and Interwoven

    A review by Sarah Corbett

    Publisher : Sidestone Press

    ... Continue Reading
  • Adorned by Nature

    A Review by Sarah Corbett

    Publisher ‏ : ‎ At One Communications (1 Jan. 2022)
    Author : Wolfgang Grulke
    Language ‏ : ‎... Continue Reading

  • Eastern Treasures

    A Review by Sarah Corbett

    Occasionally a book knocks the ball out of the park!....
    This is that book.

    ... Continue Reading
  • Palestinian Folk Embroidery

    By Hala Munther Salem

    Introduction

    I was invited to an online Zoom meeting last week... Continue Reading

  • Online Jewellery classes

    with Sigrid Van Roode

    Renowned jewellery historian Sigrid van Roode is always at... Continue Reading

  • Berber Memories

    A book review by Sarah Corbett

    • Publisher : Yale University Press (22 Oct. 2020)
    • Language : English
    • Hardcover : 480 pages
    • ISBN-10 : 0300253958
    • ISBN-13 : 978-0300253955
    ... Continue Reading
  • Baningal – Northern Luzon

    The Bontoc/Ifuago inhabit the southern Cordillera Central region in the rugged highlands of Northern Luzon, this region comprises some of the highest mountains in the Philippines. The area is historically... Continue Reading

  • Kadambari Jewels

    Jewels which give back.

    Kadambari Jewels is a unique brand founded by Rashantha Devanesan in 2009.
    Rashantha sources the raw materials for her pieces from North Africa to Nepal,... Continue Reading

  • Bedouin Silver

    A woman with a passion for jewels and their significance - Sigrid Van Roode.

    Sigrid van Roode is an Egyptologist by training, and it was in Egypt that she first... Continue Reading

  • Baraka and Adornment

    Moroccan adornment related to Baraka by Sarah Corbett

    In Morocco and other Islamic countries the concept of Baraka is the purity and virtue of a saint and also the source... Continue Reading

  • The Art of Recycled Glass Beads

    A book review by Sarah Corbett

    The Art of Recycled Glass beads.
    Philippe J. Kradolfer / Nomoda E. Djaba.
    ISBN: 978-1-7923-2241-9

    Beads:
    "People all around the world have found a... Continue Reading

  • Researching

    Where to begin. By Sarah Corbett

    There are some incredibly useful groups for jewel, adornment and textile lovers on Facebook .

    These are the places which can give a starting... Continue Reading

  • Granulation

    By Sarah Corbett

    Granulation is a jewellery making technique which uses grains of metal to create a textured surface.
    High purity Gold and silver alloys are generally used... Continue Reading

  • Beaded nets from Egyptian burials

    By Sarah Corbett

    Ancient depictions of Egyptian Women often feature patterns which suggest lozenges. Dresses which have been reconstructed from beads found at Burial sites suggest that these ancient Egyptian... Continue Reading

  • The Spoon

    by Barbara Steinberg

    Underneath the rubble of the Warsaw Ghetto, the earth kept its secrets. Common objects survived in the soil, even though fire and demolition destroyed the area after... Continue Reading

  • Riikka Palonen the Bonemaiden

    Riikka Palonen . No waste!

    Agriculture and animal husbandry moved to the area now known as Finland relatively late, around 2800-2500 BC.  Finns were a hunting nation - or we... Continue Reading

  • Book Review

    Splendour and Shine in the River of Time
    Review by Sarah Corbett

    2020
    Irene Steiner
    ISBN  978-3-9524770-8-3
    Liechtensteiniches Landes Museum

    For those who enjoy the material culture of the people of the... Continue Reading

  • Mansa Musa

    Salt and Gold

    When we think of the world's richest man we may consider contemporary tech giants or retail billionaires; however the richest man who ever lived was the ruler... Continue Reading

  • Splendor and Shine in the River of Time

    Traditional Jewellery and Costumes throughout the Life course.

    Exhibition in the Liechtenstein National Museum
    By Irene Steiner

    Exhibition period 5/21/2020 to 9/20/2020

    www.landesmuseum.li

    Adornments and traditional costumes... Continue Reading

  • Ryijy in Finland

    By Riikka Palonen

    Ryijy in Finland – tradition and new creativity
    Last autumn, 2019, the Ministry of Education and Culture in Finland inscribed ”ryijy” tradition on the National Inventory of... Continue Reading

  • Moche

    The World of the Moche, by Barbara Steinberg.

    On the North Coast of Peru, a line of extreme environments begins with the Pacific Ocean, is edged by a sandy strip... Continue Reading

  • Book Review

    Himalayan Treasures - by Manfred Giehmann
    Review by Sarah Corbett

    Author : Manfred Giehmann
    Photographs: Chrisitian J Creutz
    ISBN: 9789811406560
    Pages: 264

    This attractive book is filled with beautiful jewels which have been arranged... Continue Reading

  • Henna Cloth

    By Sarah Corbett

    Henna cloth is a deeply symbolic form of textile art which was historically made and worn by the women of Southern Morocco. The pieces vary... Continue Reading

  • Fabric of Life

    By Sarah Corbett

    From our birth until our death we are placed in contact with cloth. We swaddle our young and shroud our dead. Cloth is a close companion to... Continue Reading

  • Tihuna

    By Sarah Corbett

    The drive to adorn oneself is considered by some to be one of the most basic human drives, following closely the need to procreate and survive.

    The... Continue Reading

  • Pambadam Earrings

    By Barbara Ann Steinberg

    Pambadam earrings combine traditional female customs in Tamil Nadu with the northern Krishna-cult story of the Naga Kaliya.

    The earring is a stylized cobra coiled... Continue Reading

  • Kundan Mina

    Kundan Mina Work in Jaipur by Barbara Steinberg

    An Indian necklace commands presence by magnificent jewels set in pure gold, known as a Kundan setting. Before mirrors were invented, a... Continue Reading

  • Carthaginian Trade

    By Sarah Corbett

    The Carthaginians traded their wares in the Mediterranean Sea and further afield, to Britain and Mauritania during the 7th - 3 rd centuries BC. The ritual of... Continue Reading

  • Podcasts

    I have been working with Michael Backman to produce a series of podcasts, covering a wide array of topics related to decorative arts.

    The podcast project has been a great... Continue Reading

  • The Betel Nut

    by Barbara Steinberg

    Narcotics cover the world and time. Some have become licit, as they accessorize common ceremonies and social interactions.

    In tropical South Asia, the Areca Catechu palm tree... Continue Reading

  • Chinese Jade Pendants

    by Barbara Steinberg

    China’s history is not linear. It doesn’t follow a musical scale from one note to the next. Instead, power twists like a fugue, changing keys, direction, and... Continue Reading

  • Paint it Black

    A biography of Kohl. Jolanda Bos
    A review by Sarah Corbett

    ISBN number 978-94-92940-07-0

    It was my good fortune to see Jolanda Bos launch this wonderful book at an event at... Continue Reading

  • Wild Beads of Africa

    Billy Steinberg
    A review by Sarah Corbett

    ISBN: 978-0-692-90710-8

    When the passion of a collector and the precision of a researcher meet, the results have the potential to be spectacular.
    When... Continue Reading

  • Book Review

    Ethnic Jewellery and Adornment – by Truus Daalder

    Author: Truus Daalder 
    Photographs: Jeremy Daalder
    Editor: Joost Daalder ISBN: 978-1-921394-28-7 
    Published by Ethnic Art Press, Adelaide, 2009 
    andContinue Reading

  • Collector – Patti Deany

    I collect antique textiles, primarily Islamic, –embroidery, tapestry, weaving, quilting — as opposed to carpets which are not only more expensive but more susceptible to counterfeiting and false aging.

    These... Continue Reading

  • Research – Hive mind

    by Sarah Corbett and Alaa Eddine Sagid

    From time to time a collective approach to study brings new insight into a piece of jewellery.

    Jewellery Forum www.ethnicjewels.ning.com has several of... Continue Reading

  • Amber

    by Sarah Corbett

    Found all over the world, Amber is a fossilised tree resin.
    Not only prized for it’s obvious aesthetic properties, Amber has long been associated with magical power.... Continue Reading

  • Amber and it’s copies

    A guide to identification by Sarah Corbett

    Many materials have been sold throughout the years with the name tag ‘Amber’.

    In this article we shall look at some of them... Continue Reading

  • Pumtek

    Burmese beads of Petrified wood by Sarah Corbett

    There are many types of petrified wood in Burma. Petrified wood is wood which has been turned to stone. This is the... Continue Reading

  • Chatelaine

    by Sarah Corbett

    A chatelaine is a decorative belt hook or clasp worn at the waist with a series of chains suspended from it. Each chain is mounted with a... Continue Reading

  • Ogahuru

    The Ancient Japanese custom of blackening the teeth by Sarah Corbett

    It was popular in Japan until the Merji era (1868 – 1912)

    Early traces of the custom have been... Continue Reading

  • Himba

    by Sarah Corbett

    The Himba of Northern Namibia are and ancient tribe. These visually stunning people survive by herding cattle and goats. Their lifestyle has changed little since the 16th century,... Continue Reading

  • Mongolian clothing

    by Sarah Corbett

    The ‘deel’ is an item of Mongolian traditional clothing. A unisex item, which is still worn outside the major towns and cities.

    The ‘deel’ is not unique... Continue Reading

  • Oceanic Beadwork

    An example of Beadwork from Oceana circa 1020 by Truus Daalder

    When my husband Joost and I had reached the cut-off point for... Continue Reading

  • Scented Paste

    Scented paste beads of North Africa by Leonor Arnó

    There’s a type of adornment in Northern Africa that is well known in all Maghreb: the scented beads necklace,... Continue Reading

  • Fibula

    by Sarah Corbett

    The fibula is an ancient form of brooch which is not only decorative, but also has a practical purpose as a fastener for clothing.

    The first fibula... Continue Reading

  • Idar Oberstein

    Agates of Idar Oberstein by Sarah Corbett

    Idar Oberstein in Germany has been a centre for stone cutting for over 500 years.

    Deposits of Amethyst and Agate discovered in the... Continue Reading

  • Kayapo

    by Sarah Corbett

    The Kayapo people are an indigenous tribe from the Mato Grosso and Para plains of Brazil. They live along the Xingo river in the East of the... Continue Reading

  • Ta Moko

    by Sarah Corbett

    Ta Moko is the practice in New Zealand by the indigenous Maori people of adorning the face with black spiralled designs.
    These designs were traditionally chiselled into... Continue Reading

  • Rudraksha

    by Sarah Corbett

    Rudraksha is a large evergreen tree from Asia.

    The seeds of the tree are used to Make Mala ( prayer beads)

    A Mala consists of 108 beads... Continue Reading

  • Saharan trade routes

    by Alaa Eddine Sagid

    Since the first travel accounts of Morocco were made by Arab and European explorers during the Middle Ages the jewellery of North Africa has aroused great... Continue Reading

  • Facial Tattooing

    Of Berber Women by Sarah Corbett

    Tattoos in a tribal context are as much a communicator as they are a means of Adornment. They can be understood in the capacity... Continue Reading

  • Mamuli

    by Sarah Corbett

    The Mamuli hails from the island of Sumba in Eastern Indonesia, and is considered to be the most important of their golden ritual gift items.

    Originally worn... Continue Reading

  • Ashanti Gold

    by Sarah Corbett

    The great kingdom of Ashanti was built upon the golden riches which lay beneath it’s soil. The Ashanti Kingdoms began to develop in the mid 16th century,... Continue Reading

  • Lignam

    by Sarah Corbett

    A Lingam necklace is a silver casket worn to contain a piece of smooth oval stone called a Lingum.

    The Lingam ( Ishtalinga) stone is a natural... Continue Reading

  • Rings Gallery

    A selection of rings from all around the world, showing the diversity of design and variation of materials.

    Rings are worn to show status and wealth and are the most... Continue Reading

  • Tattoo Gallery

    Tattoos around the world by Sarah Corbett.

    The most permanent method of adornment is to mark or pierce the skin. This is a practice which reaches back into history.

    One... Continue Reading

  • Spirit Locks

    Spirit Locks of the Hmong by Sarah Corbett

    Spirit Locks are pendants worn by the Hmong and Akha hill tribe people of Thailand, Burma and Laos.

    Traditionally these Padlock- esque... Continue Reading

  • Tillya Kosh

    Bridal forehead decoration

    There existed in the 19th century in Bukhara the largest and finest collective of Islamic Artists and craftsmen. The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least... Continue Reading

  • Prayer Beads

    by Leonor Arno Pons

    In western cultures we may associate prayer beads to Christianity and Middle Ages. In fact their use is universal and pre-dates the Christian Era. Even today... Continue Reading

  • Niello

    Techniques and processes by Sarah Corbett

    Niello, is a black metallic alloy of sulfur with silver, copper, or lead that is used to fill designs that have been engraved on... Continue Reading

  • Asyk

    by Sarah Corbett

    Worn by the Turkoman peoples of Central Asia, the asyk is an imposing adornment which is suspended from the hair by use of plaits as a back... Continue Reading

  • Guedra

    by Sarah Corbett

    The word Guedra represents several aspects of a form of dance which is particular to Southern Morocco, Mauritania and Algeria.

    The primary meaning is cooking pot, when... Continue Reading

  • Siam Silver

    Ya Thom by Sarah Corbett

    Siam silver is a style of silver jewellery usually with niello décor, although brightly coloured or white enamel is also seen.

    The niello of Siam... Continue Reading

  • Yukagir

    The Evans Tribal Group, Yukagir peoples of Siberia by Sarah Corbett

    The Yukaghir live in East Siberia in the basin of the Kolyma river. In 2002 a census recorded a... Continue Reading

  • Kayan People

    Of Burma by Sarah Corbett

    The Kayan people are a Tibeto – Burman ethnic minority of Burma.

    They consist of six tribal groups. The women of these tribal groups identify... Continue Reading

  • Puabi

    Queen of Ur by Sarah Corbett

    During the first dynasty of Ur (Ca 2600 BCE) a women priestess or queen lived. Ur was an important Sumerian city-state, which is located... Continue Reading

  • Woad

    Woad in the UK by Sarah Corbett

    Woad is a flowering plant of the Brassicaceae family which produces blue colouring. It has been produced since the stone age, with two... Continue Reading

  • Tibetan Ornaments

    Tibetan Ornaments worn on the belt or attached to clothes by Truus Daalder

    Many ornaments were sewn onto the clothes of Tibetan nomads by means of lugs, as protective amulets... Continue Reading

  • Belarusian Ruchnik

    by Sarah Corbett

    A ruchnik is a traditional ornamental towel. This towel is a piece of textile which embodies many significant concepts within Belarusian life. In fact the ruchnik are... Continue Reading

  • Mapuche

    Mapuche Traditional Adornment by Leonor Arno

    Mapuche ethnic adornment is the great unknown for lovers of ethnic jewelry. Being a silversmith work without major technical challenges, it has great aesthetic... Continue Reading

  • Asrou n swoul

    by Sarah Corbett

    The attire of a Tuareg woman of the African Sahara consists of a large rectangular piece of fabric. The fabric, also known as Mellhafa is held in... Continue Reading

  • Amber beads

    A developing story of Moroccan trade by Sarah Corbett

    Since December last year (2014) not a day passes without an e mail or message from potential clients asking me for... Continue Reading

  • Crowns

    The gold crowns of Mycenae,Bactria and Silla by Barbara Steinberg

    According to archeological finds by Heinrich Schliemann, an elliptical gold diadem with removable crown-ornaments was first discovered in a Mycenaean funerary... Continue Reading

  • Bogolan

    Mud cloth - Bogolan by Sarah Corbett

    Mud cloth is a type of fabric which is made by the Bamana peoples of Mali in West Africa. The cotton fabric is... Continue Reading

  • Moroccan Judaica

    by Barbara Steinberg

    Jewish traders and farmers have lived in Morocco’s cities and Atlas mountains since the time of the Roman Empire. However, the most notable Jewish immigration to Morocco... Continue Reading

  • Nath

    by Sarah Corbett

    A nath is a piece of jewellery used in India which is worn through a piercing in the nose. Nath are worn extensively by Indian women, however... Continue Reading

  • Scarification

    Scarification in Africa by Sarah Corbett

    Scarification is a permanent form of adornment which has been practised throughout history. Evidence from Saharan rock paintings suggest it’s use in 8000 –... Continue Reading

  • Etruscan Jewellery

    by Sarah Corbett

    The Etruscan people were a sophisticated, luxury loving people who lived in Northern Italy 800 – 400 BC. They were astute traders, and had great wealth.

    Wealthy... Continue Reading

  • Heart of Darkness

    The Congo, by Barbara Steinberg

    The Luba Empire was a pre-colonial Central African state, which was founded by King Kongolo Maniema, c. 1585. The Hemba people were incorporated because they... Continue Reading

  • Ladakh Headdresses

    By Truus Daalder

    Between the Kunlun and Himalayan mountains, in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir lies the kingdom of Ladakh. Its capital, Leh, was an important stop on... Continue Reading

  • Seneca Iroquois

    Stanley Hill, SR., and Seneca Iroquois combs by Kajetan Fiedorowicz 

    Many contemporary tribal artists reach to their nations’ historical sources for inspiration, which provides for a certain continuation of tradition.... Continue Reading

  • Holy Land, Holy Market

    by Alaa Eddine Sagid

    At the southern edge of the Anatolian... Continue Reading
  • Natalia Shabelsky

    by Sarah Corbett

    Natalia Shabelsky (1841- 1905) was a lady with a true passion. This Russian noblewoman devoted her life to the conservation of endangered folk art traditions. Natalia travelled... Continue Reading

  • Naxi People

    by Sarah Corbett

    The Naxi people live in Yunnan province China. They migrated to the region from the yellow river area to south China in 770 – 221 BC and... Continue Reading

  • Tanimbar Comb

    A comb from Tanimbar. Maluku Provence, Indonesia. By Truus Daalder.

    In my book Ethnic Jewellery and Adornment (Ethnic Art Press and Macmillan, 2009), I described and illustrated (p. 170) a... Continue Reading

  • Kara and Kirpan

    by Sarah Corbett

    In 1699 Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Guru of Sikhism, created the Khalsa Panth at Anandpur Sahib. This occasion transformed Sikhs into a family of soldier saints.

    During... Continue Reading

  • Li Hairpins

    The incised bone hairpins of the Li ethnic minority, China by Gina Hellweger.

    The Li ethnic minority lives mainly in the center and south of Hainan Province. According to historical... Continue Reading

  • Frances Wright

    by Barbara Steinberg

    Many women practice their art secretly. Emily Dickinson had fewer than 12 poems published in her lifetime until her sister Lavinia discovered 1800 of them in a... Continue Reading

  • Footbinding

    by Sarah Corbett

    For 1000 years tiny curved feet were considered the ultimate level of beauty in China. During this period around 3 billion women bound their feet.
    The most likely... Continue Reading

  • Aggrab Al Fadda

    by Sarah Corbett

    Sometimes in the world of bead collecting a style of bead comes to the foreground in terms of interest and desirability.

    In recent years the Aggrab Al... Continue Reading

  • The Kiani Crown

    by Sarah Corbett

    This opulent and splendid crown was worn for coronations in Iran during the Qajar dynasty (1796 – 1925)

    The Kayanian are a dynasty of Iranian legend, the... Continue Reading

  • Bindi

    By Sarah Corbett

    Traditionally worn in India a bindi is a decoration of the forehead, usually a red dot, although other colours and jewelled versions are also used.

    The bindi... Continue Reading

  • Zuni

    By Sarah Corbett

    The Zuni people of the American South west are a peaceful people, whose lives and beliefs are closely tied to the mountains, deserts and forests of their... Continue Reading

  • Jet

    By Sarah Corbett

    Jet is a minor gemstone which is derived from wood which has been subject to high pressure over millions of years. It is along with Amber one... Continue Reading

  • Maasai

    By Sarah Corbett

    The Maasai people live nomadically in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, also known as the great lakes region.

    The origins of the Maasai people has been traced... Continue Reading

  • Travelling for Jewels

    By Sarah Corbett

    My journey with jewellery started in a tiny High Atlas village in Morocco around 17 years ago.

    I was running a company which set up fair trade... Continue Reading

  • Headscratchers

    A war against vermin by Jen Cruise

    This object may be unfamiliar to most people – it is a head scratcher or scratching stick (gratoir) and typical examples are shown... Continue Reading

  • Seduced by Symbols

    A personal perspective on Tuareg and Ethiopian talismanic Jewellery by Lloyd. D. Graham

    In February 2009, I bought a Tuareg “magic square” ring – actually, both my first and my... Continue Reading

  • Nose Rings
    Nose Rings in Pre-Columbian Civilisations by Barbara Steinberg
     
    Civilizations are finite. Time, climate change, conquerors, and assimilation transform peoples.  Blood mixes. Ideas meld. The center... Continue Reading
  • Zaouli

    By Sarah Corbett

    Zaouli is a mask of the Dje LaLou. The Gouro ethnic group from Manfla in the Cote d’Ivoire, West Africa, uses it in a traditional mask... Continue Reading

  • Catacomb Saints

    By Sarah Corbett

    Between the 16th and 19th century, by order of the Vatican thousands of ancient Roman corpses were exhumed from the catacombs of Rome.These skeletal remains were given... Continue Reading

  • Mangbetu Hair Pin

    by Barbara Steinberg

    On 10 December 2014, Sotheby’s Paris held an auction of African and Oceanic Art consisting of 105 exquisite lots.

    The inspirational connection between Modernism and African art... Continue Reading

  • Ineka Hemmiga and the Tuareg

    Ineka Hemmiga and the Tuareg, Blue men of the Sahara

    Rarely do people evolve their identity and live the connection between Europe and Africa. Ineke Hemminga, a Dutch national has... Continue Reading

  • Silver treasures from the land of Sheba.

    Silver treasures from the land of Sheba. by Marjorie Ransom
    review by Sarah Corbett

    Author – Marjorie Ransom

    Photography – Robert K . Liu

    ISBN – 978 977 416 600... Continue Reading

  • Swar Bolt Bracelets

    Ouled Nail defense bracelets by Sarah Corbett

    The Ouled Nail are a semi nomadic people living in the Saharan Atlas Mountains, They are believed to be Berber people who have... Continue Reading

  • Sadhvi

    By Sarah Corbett

    Around 10% of Sadhus are women, they are called Sadhvis, most women become Sadhvi following the death of their husband, so young Sadhvi are rarely seen.

    A... Continue Reading

  • Lady of Cao
    by Sarah Corbett
     
    In 2006 a female mummy was found in Peru. She was discovered at El Brujo, an archaeological site which is 45km north of Trujillo in the... Continue Reading
  • Ama . Pearl Divers

    Pearl divers of Japan by Sarah Corbett

    The word ‘Ama’ means ‘Sea women’.

    The Ama are believed to have been in existence for 2000 years.

    The Ama women specialised in... Continue Reading

  • Khamsa

    By Sarah Corbett

    The Khamsa or Hamesh is an amulet in the form of a hand, which is popular throughout North Africa and the Middle East. It is worn by... Continue Reading

  • Whang Od

    Last Batok Artist of Kalinga by Sarah Corbett

    In a small village called Buscalan in Kalinga, The Philippines A woman called Whang Od is possibly the last of her kind.... Continue Reading

  • Alexander McQueen

    By Barbara Steinberg

    He flew — too high.

    “It’s a new era in fashion — there are no rules,” he stated as if everyone... Continue Reading

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    Taikomochi

    By Sarah Corbett

    The original Geisha of Japan were called Taikomochi or Hokan. They were men.

    The word Hokan means a jester, and the word Taikomochi means drum beater.
    The Taikomochi... Continue Reading

  • Rashaida Veil. Photo Credit Beckwith. Fisherff
    Rashaida

    The Clothing of the Nomadic people of Eritrea, By Sarah Corbett.

    The elaborate clothing of a Rashaida woman in instantly recognisable, the rich and intricate silver embroidery of the veils... Continue Reading

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    Slovak Blue Cloth

    By Sarah Corbett

    Blue (indigo) printing was a flourishing art form in Slovakia 50 years ago; 5 years ago the last remaining traditional artisan (Stanislav Tmka) in this ancient technique... Continue Reading

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    Gache

    Korean Wigs and their accessories by Sarah Corbett

    A Gache (or Dari) was a large wig which originated in Northern Korea.. Originally worn by Korean women of high status and... Continue Reading

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    Sri Lanka

    Coastal Sri Lankan 19th Century Jewellery by Michael Backman

    A significant quantity of jewellery was produced in Sri Lanka in the nineteenth and into the early twentieth century for local... Continue Reading

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    Symbolists

    By Barbara Ann Steinberg

    Art Nouveau’s main ingredients were the Symbolists, who believed that art should reflect the truth indirectly as if in a dream; the flat perspective and strong... Continue Reading

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    Art and Risk in Ancient Yoruba

    Art and Risk in Ancient Yoruba, C. 1300AD, by Prof. Suzanne Preston Blier, Harvard University. A review by Barbara Steinberg.

    Suzanne Preston Blier is our guide and intellectual archaeologist,... Continue Reading

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    Carnelians of Gujerat

    By Sarah Corbett

    Carnelian has been greatly prized by many cultures. It has been a very desirable element of jewellery and adornment throughout history.

    Each piece of Carnelian is unique.... Continue Reading

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    Korean Hambok

    By Sarah Corbett

    The Hanbok is traditionally worn by Korean people.

    It was worn on a daily basis until around 100 years ago.

    The earliest evidence of this style of... Continue Reading

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    Adornment of Unity

    #Jezwecan the adornment of unity by Sarah Corbett

    Jewellery has been used as a tool of communication throughout history.

    Jewellery has the ability to convey a message to others.

    During... Continue Reading

  • fThe riders of the Sidhef
    Art of Celts?

    The untruths we learned from the art of the Victorian Celtic revival. By Sarah Corbett

    The Celts were a branch of the Indo -Europeans.

    Proto Celtic people from the Balkans... Continue Reading

  • Early 20 th century Khayamiya . The British Museumff
    Khayamia

    By Sarah Corbett

    Khayamia is a rich and decorative appliqué textile. The intricate textile was historically used to adorn the interiors of Beautiful Egyptian tents called Suradeq.
    It is believed that... Continue Reading

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    Combs and Saints

    Of Combs and Saints, by Barbara Steinberg

    It was a time before nations. Celtic tribes ruled Gaul until they were conquered by the Roman Empire (121 – 51 BC).

    In the... Continue Reading

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    Pafta Belts

    Pafta Belts of the Balkans by Gratiela Buzic

    Belts and buckles : who wore them and why?

    Belts with metal buckles have been very popular items in the female dress... Continue Reading

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    Tibetan Gau

    By Leonor Arno 

    The charm box pendant called the ga’u originated in Tibet. This sort of jewellery is in wide use throughout the western and eastern sub-Himalayan area... Continue Reading

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    The Song of Solomon

    How beautiful are your feet in shoes?  The song of Solomon. What is the story of the shoe? By Sarah Corbett

    Throughout history designers of shoes have elevated them from... Continue Reading

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    Pitt Rivers Museum

    By Sarah Corbett

    The collection of the General Pitt Rivers, a 19th century soldier and scholar is a wonderful sensory onslaught. His thirst to discover and to develop his understanding... Continue Reading

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    The Global City

    A book Launch at the London Gallery of Michael Backman. Review and comment by Sarah Corbett

    by Annemarie Jordan Gschwend  (Editor), K.J.P. Lowe (Editor)

    Publisher: Paul Holberton Publishing (December 19, 2015)
    ISBN-13: 978-1907372889

    A bridge between the world... Continue Reading

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    The Quai Branly

    By Alaa Eddine Sagid

    Celebrated as the main cultural project of former French president Jacques Chirac, it eventually
    confirmed the prominent role claimed by Paris as the world capital for indigenous... Continue Reading

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    Beads of Southern Morocco.

    By Sarah Corbett

    Many of the exquisite ensembles of North African jewellery include handmade silver beads.
    The Jewish silversmiths of Southern Morocco were famed... Continue Reading

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    Tara of Gran Canaria

    By Sarah Corbett

    Tara, fertility goddess of Gran Canaria was discovered in a cave in Telde on the Eastern coast of the island.

    The terracotta clay statue is 27 cm... Continue Reading

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    Egypt’s Wearable Heritage

    by Jolanda Bos

    Jolanda Bos is an archaeologist who has been travelling to Egypt for over 25 years. From the 1990s onwards she has worked in different excavations in the... Continue Reading

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    Belongings in the Land of the Iceni

    by Natasha Harlow

    This paper explores the social and cultural transitions which occurred during the late Iron Age and early Roman periods (circa 100 BCE-200 CE) in the modern counties... Continue Reading
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    Tensifa

    by Sarah Corbett

    Tetouan is a town in Northern Morocco with Strong Historical links to Grenada.

    In 1492 the Nasrid dynasty surrendered their rule of the Emirate of Granada. The... Continue Reading

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    The Southern Cross

    by Alaa Eddine Sagid

    The Southern cross, Boghdad/Boghdod or Moghdad is widely seen in West Africa and Southern Morocco.

    This type of pendant seems to be strongly connected to the Moors, and... Continue Reading

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    Beads. A History and Collectors Guide

    by Stefany Tomalin

    ISBN 978 – 4456 – 5865 – 0
    Amberley books

    Stefany Tomalin is a name which is synonymous with the bead collecting communities of the UK... Continue Reading

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    A Story Of Two Rings

    by Truus Daalder

    This story really starts with an electrical fault in our house. The electrical firm promised to send our usual, pleasant and utterly competent electrician after he had... Continue Reading