Silver - Amulet - Bedouins 'Hirz' or 'Hez
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Selected by Surya Rutten
Has over 25 years' experience in Asian art and owned an art gallery.
Estimate € 150 - € 250
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Oman-origin silver Hirz or Hezam prayer box amulet from the Bedouin tribals, dating to the first half of the 20th century, weighing 66 g with dimensions 8.1 × 5.3 × 0.8 cm, in excellent original vintage condition with complete Kashkash bells and a thick handwoven looped chain.
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Description from the seller
A beautiful and authentic handmade tribal jewelry piece from Oman (Arabian Peninsula). This type of jewelry is known as a 'Hirz' or 'Hezam': a traditional prayer box amulet worn by Bedouin women for protection against the evil eye and misfortune. The rectangular, hollow pendant was originally intended to store protective amulets or rolled strips of paper with Quranic verses.
The front of the pendant is richly decorated with finely hand-engraved geometric interlacing and floral repoussé motifs. The top features three cylindrical hanging loops, adorned with stylized flower rosettes. At the bottom there is a complete set of characteristic, jingling silver bells (kashkash), made from riveted discs with a ribbed edge. This sound held a symbolic, spiritually protective function in Bedouin culture.
The pendant hangs on a very expertly crafted, thick silver chain made with the traditional, labor-intensive loop-in-loop (fishtail) braid technique. The reverse is undecorated and flat, designed for comfortable wear on the chest. The jewelry shows a beautiful, authentic patina of age and light traces of traditional lacquer or polishing paste in the deeper grooves, testifying to historical craftsmanship and actual use.
Specifications
Object: Prayer box amulet (Hirz) with the accompanying woven chain
Origin: Oman / Arabian Peninsula
Culture: Bedouins (Tribal)
Dating: First half of the 20th century (ca. 1920-1950)
Material: High silver content (unmarked, as is common for this period; manufactured from melted coins such as the Maria Theresa Thaler)
Condition: In very good, original vintage condition with natural patina and normal signs of aging. The pendant is structurally solid and the set of bells at the bottom is fully intact.
Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.8 cm (excluding cord)
Weight: 66 g
A beautiful and authentic handmade tribal jewelry piece from Oman (Arabian Peninsula). This type of jewelry is known as a 'Hirz' or 'Hezam': a traditional prayer box amulet worn by Bedouin women for protection against the evil eye and misfortune. The rectangular, hollow pendant was originally intended to store protective amulets or rolled strips of paper with Quranic verses.
The front of the pendant is richly decorated with finely hand-engraved geometric interlacing and floral repoussé motifs. The top features three cylindrical hanging loops, adorned with stylized flower rosettes. At the bottom there is a complete set of characteristic, jingling silver bells (kashkash), made from riveted discs with a ribbed edge. This sound held a symbolic, spiritually protective function in Bedouin culture.
The pendant hangs on a very expertly crafted, thick silver chain made with the traditional, labor-intensive loop-in-loop (fishtail) braid technique. The reverse is undecorated and flat, designed for comfortable wear on the chest. The jewelry shows a beautiful, authentic patina of age and light traces of traditional lacquer or polishing paste in the deeper grooves, testifying to historical craftsmanship and actual use.
Specifications
Object: Prayer box amulet (Hirz) with the accompanying woven chain
Origin: Oman / Arabian Peninsula
Culture: Bedouins (Tribal)
Dating: First half of the 20th century (ca. 1920-1950)
Material: High silver content (unmarked, as is common for this period; manufactured from melted coins such as the Maria Theresa Thaler)
Condition: In very good, original vintage condition with natural patina and normal signs of aging. The pendant is structurally solid and the set of bells at the bottom is fully intact.
Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.8 cm (excluding cord)
Weight: 66 g
Details
Era
1900-2000
Metal
Silver
Total weight
66 g
Condition
Excellent condition - barely used with minimal signs of wear
Ethnic group/culture
Bédouin
Country of origin
Oman
Indigenous object name
'Hirz' of 'Hezam'
Title additional information
Bedouins 'Hirz' or 'Hez
