HvWO 059III

Pair antique Omani silver bossed anklets or bracelets

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Antique Omani silver bossd Bracelet named banagiri muschawwaka.

Common bossed bracelets / anklets banagiri muschawwaka. Matching pair.  Bossed bracelets of one sort or another were worn throughout Oman.

Some believe that these were originally fertility anklets, with the bosses representing breasts.  These anklets / bracelets were typically worn by married women or girls form the age of fourteen.

The slide-show contains an 1847  photo by Guillain (part of the collection of Musee du Quai Branly in Paris  ) showing the niece of the governor of Zanzibar wearing a similar spiked bracelet on her left arm. 

Antique Omani silver anklets

Arab names: Banagiri muschawwaka  (from shok, thorn or spike); Named Suwriy bracelet according to Carter ref 8  page 113

Period:1840-1970

Origin: Oman: Maybe Sur as they only have bracelets with spikes. Probably explains term Suwriy bracelet by Carter.

 References:
  1. Oman Adorned by Pauline Shelton  Robert Richmond / Apex London 1997  p 111 ;
  2. Disappearing treasures of Oman 1998 by Avelyn Foster p 76 fig 70 ;
  3. Silver the traditional Art of Oman 2000 (new edition) Ruth Hawley p 21 
  4. Silver jewellery of Oman by Jehan S Rajab 1997 p 32
  5. Arab & Islamic Silver by Saad Al-Jadir 1981   Stacey International  p 123 left
  6. Ethnic Jewelery from Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands 2002 Amsterdam Pepin Press p 60
  7. British Museum online collection number 2012.6010.2 diameter 5.6 cm Height 4 cm weight 111 grams each Similar reg 2012,6010.1 Diameter: 6.6 centimetres Height: 3.5 centimetres Weight: 110 grammes
  8. Carter Tribes in Oman Peninsular publishing London 1982
  9. Oman and its Renaissance  by Sir Donald Hawley Stacey International London 1987 page 101 shows Bedu ladies wearing similar bracelets.
  10. Traditional silver jewelry and handicrafts from Oman by Jean Greffioz 2009 (privately published) page 85 fig 5.2 has photo with a similar item.