Photo © Israel Museum, Jerusalem, by Elie Posner |
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The Jewelry of Jewish Women in Bukhara Bukhara, a city in Central Asia and a former Emirate, has come to refer to all the Jewish communities in Uzbekistan. The jewelry of the Jewish bride in Bukhara – made of embossed gold plaques stuffed with bitumen and studded with emeralds, rubies, and tourmalines – reflects the wealth of her community. Brides and affluent women adorned their head ornaments with a fragrant rose and their temple ornaments with the feather of a peacock (ketshak). The jewelry typically features sun motifs, lotus flowers, dragon heads, birds, fish, and hearts. At the end of the 19th century, silversmithing was a common occupation among Jews; after the Russian conquest of the area, however, many turned to trading in jewelry.
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Digital presentation of this object was made possible by: The Ridgefield Foundation, New York, in memory of Henry J. and Erna D. Leir |
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