Vintage Silver Yemeni Bedouin Hoop Earrings

This pair of vintage Yemeni earrings is locally known as khoras. They are mid-twentieth century from northwestern Yemen and made with good silver. Each earring has five domes on the bottom of the hoop, each with a set of three bells. In between each dome is a loop with a further three bell dangles (one bell dangle is missing on the side of one of the earrings). The object of these earrings apart from adorning the woman is to protect her by making a sound that would scare away any evil spirits lurking about her.

The earrings are heavy and have thick gauge wires, so not for the standard earhole.

Each hoop is made of a single solid silver wire looped into a thick loop at the end. The bottom of the hoop has wound wire around it and the domes are soldered to a sheet soldered to the bottom of the hoop. 

The earrings are in good vintage condition. There is a similar pair of earrings in the Quai-Branly Museum collection.

Dimensions:

• The diameter of the hoop is 5 cm (2").
• The length from the top of the ear wire to the bottom of dangles is 9 cm (3 1/2").
• Weight is a hefty 124 g.

Please note that if you intend to wear them, these have very thick ear wires, not at all like the western standard wires.

For more Bedouin jewelry visit the Bedouin Jewelry Section.