The Jewelry of Jewish Women in Bukhara

Bukhara, a city in Central Asia and a former Emirate, has come to refer to all the Jewish communities in Uzbekistan. The jewelry of the Jewish bride in Bukhara – made of embossed gold plaques stuffed with bitumen and studded with emeralds, rubies, and tourmalines – reflects the wealth of her community. Brides and affluent women adorned their head ornaments with a fragrant rose and their temple ornaments with the feather of a peacock (ketshak). The jewelry typically features sun motifs, lotus flowers, dragon heads, birds, fish, and hearts. At the end of the 19th century, silversmithing was a common occupation among Jews; after the Russian conquest of the area, however, many turned to trading in jewelry.Credit: Bequest of Yahav Magen through the Bank of Israel, Jerusalem

Purchased through the gift of Baroness Bat Sheba de Rothschild, Tel Aviv

Extended loan from Benjamin Zucker, New York