Earrings Item Number: 2878/23 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Pair of cast silver earrings, each consisting of a curved ear hook soldered to a rectangular cast silver 'tablet' which is in turn hinged to a larger oval cast silver 'tablet'. This oval section, which forms the main body of the earring, has a silver cast 'feathered snake' design affixed over a red glass centre piece and a 'double scroll thunder pattern' etched around the perimeter. The upper rectangular section has a design of interlocking triangular shapes symbolizing the four directions. Three tapered, cylindrical -shaped ornaments hang by soldered eyelets and shot sections of linked silver chain from the bottom of the oval tablet, each of which has a design of three diamond shapes touching point to point.
Specific Techniques
On both sections of the earrings, the detailing is achieved with a technique called granulation in which tiny bits of silver are placed on the underlying silver backing to form a recognizable motif. Granulation is a traditional Kazakhi technique that has also been adopted by neighboring Turkoman jewelers (and others in the region).
Narrative
These are traditional Kazakhi woman's earrings. Several cultures of the Central Asian Massif have a belief in the existence of a feathered serpent (the central design), said to still live in the upper reaches of the Hindu Kush Mountains. The overall design of the upper rectangular section looks like a mandala or perhaps the interior of a yurt with a circle smoke hole in the middle (Kazakhi people also traditionally lived in felt yurts).
Item History
- Made in Afghanistan
- Collected in Istanbul, Turkey during 2004
- Owned by Tamarin Productions Inc. before May 4, 2011
- Received from Tamarin Productions Inc. (Seller) and Ruth Read Bequest (Funding source) on May 4, 2011
What
- Name
- Earrings
- Identification Number
- 2878/23 a-b
- Type of Item
- earring
- Material
- silver metal and glass
- Overall
- height 13.3 cm, width 3.5 cm, depth 1.6 cm
Who
- Culture
- Kazakh
- Previous Owner
- Tamarin Productions Inc.
- Received from
- Tamarin Productions Inc. (Seller) and Ruth Read Bequest (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Afghanistan
- Collected in
- Istanbul, Turkey
When
- Collection Date
- during 2004
- Ownership Date
- before May 4, 2011
- Acquisition Date
- on May 4, 2011
Other
- Item Classes
- metalwork
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 2878/0023 a-b