HvWO 101II

Omani silver Dhofari headscarf weight

!
Dhofari Sils head scarf weight

 

Common Omani silver sils. Triangular-shaped silver ornament with bells and dangles worn by married women of Dhofar as a weight to keep the headscarf in place.  Length 12 cm Weight 65 grams.

 

 Omani silver headscarf weight

 

Arab name: Sils / Silsalah (Carter)

Period: 1900-1960

Origin: Oman:  Dhofar region

References:
  1. Oman Adorned Pauline Shelton  Robert Richmond / Apex London 1997 p 231-233
  2. Craft heritage of Oman Neil Richardson & Maria Dorr Volume 2 p 437 fig 16
  3. Silver jewellery of Oman by Jehan S Rajab 1997 p62
  4. Traditional silver jewelry and handicrafts from Oman 2009 by Jean Greffioz 32
  5. British Museum on-line collection number 2008,6023.141 weight 68 grams  length 11 cm  Triangular silver head-dress ornament (sils), with a soldered a silver ring at the apex, and six sets of chains and bells attached to the bottom via soldered hoops covered with stamped rosettes. The triangular section is made of a pierced sheet of silver metal ornamented with silver wire, plain silver discs and stamped rosettes. The rosettes and discs on the front of the sils are gilded. Each hoop at the bottom of the triangle has attached to it two sets of dangling elements: one set consists of two chains with bells and the other of silver elements shaped like 8s soldered together and topped with a diamond shape linked together by gathered silver wire and terminating in two miniature stamped rosettes
  6. Islamic Art in Oman page 342
  7. Oman and its Renaissance  by Sir Donald Hawley Stacey International London 1987 page 138 photo with similar item
  8. Traditional silver jewelry and handicrafts from Oman by Jean Greffioz 2009 (privately published) page 32 fig 2.22 has photo with a similar item.