{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O79344"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O79344/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BT3374/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BT3374/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BT3374","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BT3373","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O79344/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O79344","accessionNumber":"493&A-1865","objectType":"Earring","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The traditional jewellery of the Berber tribes of North Africa is almost always made of silver in heavy, clearly-defined shapes.  Although individual pieces rarely date back any earlier than the 19th century, the designs are very old, and European observers liked to find traces of Roman or Phoenician influence.\r\n\r\nEarrings like these were worn throughout the Maghreb in the 19th century.  This pair comes from Algeria, although the design is simpler, and probably earlier, than in the usual Algerian version, which is decorated with coral.  The owner sometimes stretched a cord across the space between the holes, or added beads or other pendants.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Pair of silver earrings, each consisting of a C-shaped length of thick wire, grooved so that it looks like twisted wire.  One end is flattened with a hole through it.  The other end is flattened for a longer stretch and has two holes at the end.  The rest of the flattened section is decorated on the outside with stamped rosettes and borders of engraved diagonal lines.  One of the earrings has a small flat cast pendant shaped like a star hanging from the single hole. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Engraved silver","categories":[{"text":"Jewellery","id":"THES48930"},{"text":"Africa","id":"THES49019"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MES","id":"THES48607"},"images":["2008BT3374","2008BT3373"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"CB006","id":"THES369161"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"CB006","id":"THES369161"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Earring","id":""}],[{"text":"Earring","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Algeria","id":"x30025"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1800-1850","earliest":"1800-01-01","latest":"1850-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Width","value":"8.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Pair of silver earrings (Khorsa mesluta) made from a curved strip of thick wire, Algeria, 1800-1850.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["493-1865","493A-1865"],"accessionNumberNum":"493","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1865,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Earring [1]","Earring [2]"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-06-12","recordCreationDate":"2003-04-02","availableToBook":true}}