Crescent-Moon Necklace
Created from hammered and cut sheet metal with a series of attached bells, the design and techniques employed on this necklace highlight the interconnections between the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia, and East Africa. Conveying ideas of religious devotion, the crescent moon is a ubiquitous symbol in silver jewelry throughout the Islamic world. Similarly, the delicate hammered beading used to outline the shape and create floral embellishments was a common motif employed by artists across the Indian Ocean. Red glass, beads, and gemstones were inset into necklaces in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula for the protective properties associated with the color. These continuities demonstrate how difficult it is to track styles to a single region, because the designs, objects, and artists were circulating over such broad territories. This created an incredibly fertile artistic environment in which artists continually built upon existing motifs and models from one generation to the next. Thus, while this object was acquired in Lamu, Kenya, it speaks to deep histories of trade and connectivity between port cities across the Indian Ocean.
Artwork Details
- Title: Crescent-Moon Necklace
- Date: first half 20th century
- Geography: Made in Kenya, Lamu
- Medium: Silver, metal, and glass
- Dimensions: Chain:
L. 26 in. (66 cm)
Pendant:
H. 5 in. (12.7 cm) - Classification: Accessory-Jewelry
- Credit Line: Gift of Arthur Englander, 1975
- Object Number: 1975.228.7
- Curatorial Department: Islamic Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
first half 20th century
first half 20th century
first half 20th century
first half 20th century
early 20th century
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.