Yemeni Silver Prayer Scroll Pendant

ETHNOGRAPHIC
Yemen

Yemeni smiths are renowned in the Middle East; they are often Jewish. These Jewish smiths are often called upon by both Jews and Muslims alike for wedding jewelry. This pendant would have had talismanic properties for Muslims, containing a scroll with several verses from the Koran. My mother wore this piece on occasion, which reached down to chest height; I remember her wearing it with a particular black and white dress that had a panel of interchanging stripes. Beyond the elegant aesthetics of this pendant, I’m sure she appreciated the talismanic and spiritual properties that it represented.