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Ornate filigree jewelry was historically made in Ethiopia for royals and nobility by specialized silversmiths trained through long apprenticeships. This gold-washed silver necklace is composed of numerous box-shaped amulet pendants (<em>tälsäm)</em> meant to ward off the evil eye or other dangers. Linked to Islamic amuletic practices, the boxes are effective whether empty or whether they contain magical or prayerful texts. Their fine filigree and granulation work is characteristic of Harar as well as the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian city of Aksum.
Page data
- Page
- 1
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- c5392a2e00bb3b2d
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 692272
- Core
- obj
- Type
- object
DTO data
{
"id": "692272",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Necklace (ashän ketab) with amulet pendants (tälsäm) and bead",
"description": "Ornate filigree jewelry was historically made in Ethiopia for royals and nobility by specialized silversmiths trained through long apprenticeships. This gold-washed silver necklace is composed of numerous box-shaped amulet pendants (<em>tälsäm)</em> meant to ward off the evil eye or other dangers. Linked to Islamic amuletic practices, the boxes are effective whether empty or whether they contain magical or prayerful texts. Their fine filigree and granulation work is characteristic of Harar as well as the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian city of Aksum.",
"date": "late 1800s or early 1900s",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2025.154",
"rights": "CC0",
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"language": "en",
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"imageCount": 1,
"source": "import",
"cul": [
"Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, unknown silversmith"
],
"accession": "2025.154"
}
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Document identity
{
"localId": "692272",
"label": "Necklace (ashän ketab) with amulet pendants (tälsäm) and bead",
"core": "obj",
"dtoType": "object"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "692272",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Necklace (ashän ketab) with amulet pendants (tälsäm) and bead",
"description": "Ornate filigree jewelry was historically made in Ethiopia for royals and nobility by specialized silversmiths trained through long apprenticeships. This gold-washed silver necklace is composed of numerous box-shaped amulet pendants (<em>tälsäm)</em> meant to ward off the evil eye or other dangers. Linked to Islamic amuletic practices, the boxes are effective whether empty or whether they contain magical or prayerful texts. Their fine filigree and granulation work is characteristic of Harar as well as the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian city of Aksum.",
"date": "late 1800s or early 1900s",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2025.154",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"genreSpecific": [
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],
"iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2025.154/2025.154_web.jpg",
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"source": "import",
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"accession": "2025.154"
}
Document source extras
{
"tec": "mercury-gilded copper alloy",
"tombstone": "Necklace (ashän ketab) with amulet pendants (tälsäm) and bead, late 1800s or early 1900s. Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, unknown silversmith. Mercury-gilded copper alloy. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Raymond A. Silverman, 2025.154",
"collection": "African Art",
"didYouKnow": "Gold and silver jewelry has been made in Ethiopia for at least 2000 years.",
"url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2025.154",
"creditline": "Gift of Raymond A. Silverman",
"updatedAt": "2026-05-29 09:18:19.594000",
"imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2025.154/2025.154_print.jpg",
"sourceId": 692272,
"dept": "African Art",
"coll": "African Art",
"med": "mercury-gilded copper alloy",
"thumbnail_url": null,
"image_url": null
}
Page context
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"url": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2025.154/2025.154_web.jpg",
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