Bedouin Silver

One of the aspects of my research into jewelry was the wider economical landscape that can be reconstructed using coins that are used in jewelry. In addition to the most coveted coins such as the Maria Theresia Thaler and the pillar dollar, that appear virtually everywhere, many other coins are used on jewelry and costume. Upon a closer look, these coins reveal a lot about the trade contacts between groups. By comparing the reach of the exchange of currency and thus establishing the existence and intensity of contact more firmly, also other cultural exhanges can be traced and sometimes explained. The study into this aspect of jewelry will be published later in 2012. On this page, some examples are provided.

Detail of the Turkmen house amulet

By studying the coins on this Turkmen house amulet it becomes more clear who the group that used the amulet was mainly in contact with. This will help to place the ornament geographically more accurately, since in addition to stylistic grounds also the economical context is used.

Detail of a Kabyle adwir or ibzimen, mounted on a French silver coin

In Kabylia, Algeria, a certain type of pin called adwir or ibzimen, is generally mounted on French silver coins. The use of these coins seems to be limited to this region; they are usually not found in other types of jewelry throughout the Maghreb.

Russian kopecks on a leather belt that found its way to Jordan