31/10/2014

Bedouin Jewellery

All the galabeya dresses I buy to recycle into bags come from local Bedouin ladies living in my neighborhood.

One particular Bedouin lady I visit, her elderly mother usually comes out of the house to sit on a rug near to me.  She is very polite and always asks if I am happy and healthy.  I always ask the same of her.  I feel the inquiry is genuine.

The old lady has shown me some of her personal  jewellery.  I particularly like the ankle bracelet she wears.



Women wear a range of jewellery that represents the family wealth.




I did a little bit of research regarding ankle jewellery.  Apparently some bracelets are hallow and they fill them with small stones to make a noise.  The rattle of the stones also has a practical side, the men of the family can hear where the women are and a stranger would be warned of her approach.  Of course this harks back to when the family lived a nomadic lifestyle in the Sinai desert.

No comments: