Kurdish Silver Jewellery

Silver jewellery is to Kurdish women what coin was to old economies: a woman's silver may serve as her entire dowry. The most famous pieces are the bilezk — a heavy silver necklace from which chains and pendants drop; the xizm — thick bracelets; the kuş — the great hand ring that covers three fingers; and the kerdenlex — the triangular forehead piece set with red agate. The most celebrated silver towns are Sulaymaniyah, Mahabad and Afrîn. The smiths set silver with turquoise, red agate and green malachite — stones the Kurdish mountains carry. Kurdish jewellery differs from Arab and Persian work in its sharp geometric motifs and its weight: a neck-piece may weigh half a kilo. Many pieces pass from grandmother to granddaughter, carrying family history in carved metal.