Cleveland Museum of Art

Necklace (ashän ketab) with amulet pendants (tälsäm) and bead

Date

late 1800s or early 1900s

Medium

mercury-gilded copper alloy

Culture

Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, unknown silversmith

Department

African Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Ornate filigree jewelry was historically made in Ethiopia for royals and nobility by specialized silversmiths trained through long apprenticeships. This gold-washed silver necklace is composed of numerous box-shaped amulet pendants ( tälsäm) meant to ward off the evil eye or other dangers. Linked to Islamic amuletic practices, the boxes are effective whether empty or whether they contain magical or prayerful texts. Their fine filigree and granulation work is characteristic of Harar as well as the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian city of Aksum. Gold and silver jewelry has been made in Ethiopia for at least 2000 years.

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