Breastplate Item Number: 3357/4 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Diamond-shaped breastplate painted with gold. Cross-shaped metalwork at centre, with five inset polished oval reddish-brown carnelian(?) stones, one at each end of the cross and one at the centre. Around the cross is a diamond-shaped band composed of small plaited chains of metal, then a row of small inset polished circular reddish-brown stones, and then a band around the outer edge of two plaited chains with a snaking line between. At the top is a small hooked attachment. Top edges decorated with attached triangular clover-shaped metal pieces. Bottom edge has a fringe of chains with diamond-shaped ornaments at the end. There are eight tassels, one on each side with two more hanging from long plaited fibres, and two more near the bottom edge. Each tassel composed of a metal cap, from which diamond ornaments hang from S-hooks around the edge, and dark green, dark pink, or dark eggplant purple fibre hangs from underneath with small white beads at the end.

Narrative

Given to the donors by a shop owner in Jerusalem who owned several shops where he sold similar items. He said he collected the pieces himself, typically in the area around Jerusalem and in Jordan.

Item History

What

Name
Breastplate
Identification Number
3357/4
Type of Item
breastplate
Material
silver alloy metal, wool fibre, carnelian mineral ?, glass ? and gold metal
Overall
height 38.0 cm, width 25.0 cm, depth 2.8 cm

Who

Culture
Palestinian ?
Previous Owner
Barbara Heller and Michael Karton
Received from
Barbara Heller (Donor) and Michael Karton (Donor)

Where

Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
Made in
Asia ?

When

Ownership Date
before April 17, 2019
Acquisition Date
on April 17, 2019

Other

Item Classes
metalwork
Condition
fair
Accession Number
3357/0004