Producer unknown to us
Bolt bangle (sw~ar)
Africa, Algeria
20th century
Silver
Ümit Bir (gynaecologist) acquired the bangle in Ghardaia, Algeria, on May 13, 1968
On permanent loan from the Dr. Bir Collection Foundation
SB 434
The special feature of the bangle (sw~ar) are the bolts, which make the piece of jewelry look like a weapon. Bangles like this one were found from Bu Saada and Biskra to Tuggurt and Ghardaia. They were worn in pairs and usually complemented by 6–8 narrower bracelets.
Gynaecologist Ümit Bir (1929–2014) gathered most of his collection on several trips from Marocco to India from the 1960s to the 1990s. Unfortunately, we still do not know the exact circumstances of the acquisition of this object. Since 2004, the collection has been on permanent loan to the museum from the Dr. Bir Collection Foundation.
Jan König