Berber | pair of woman's earrings | African Art & South Pacific

Africa, the South Pacific, and the Americas

pair of woman's earrings

Culture or people Berber
Creation date 1801-1900
Materials silver, enamel, glass
Dimensions a) 4 11/16 x 1 1/2 x 2 1/2 in. | b) 4 5/8 x 1 1/2 x 2 5/8 in.
Credit line Mr. and Mrs. William B. Ansted, Jr. Art Fund and Mary V. Black Art Endowment Fund
Accession number 1997.12A-B

Gallery Label

Jewelry is important to the whole Berber family. It is the husband who buys the jewelry for his wife and it serves as a social emblem identifying prestige and class. In times of financial trouble, the husband may choose to sell it to supplement income. Jewelry has spiritual meaning as well. The forms and designs give the pieces protective qualities which insure fertility or discourage disease.

Descriptive tags added by visitors:

, Berber, dangle, earrings, gem, gold, Islamic Cultures, Northern Africa, red, silver
Click a tag to see more works with the same tag