The fascination of the desert has inspired tales of adventure and romance for centuries, but to the people who spend their lives in its vast expanses, the reality is harsh and demanding. They know the dangers of an unforgiving environment and respect its power over life and death. The Bedouin who roam the Arabian peninsula have come to terms with their arid universe in ways that we cannot imagine. They read the smallest nuances of terrain, the most subtle overtones of the wind, constantly and unconsciously aware of their surroundings as they follow long established routes to water and forage. Each day brings physical challenges whether on trek or in camp and the women of the tribes share equally in the daily contest with nature. The world of these women is monochromatic, their lives a continuing round of hard labor, but they bring to it their own aesthetic vision in the color and design of their clothing and most importantly in the ornaments they display. Jewelry, particularly silver, is not only their adornment, but their capital, a statement of their independent wealth. It comes to them as part of the dowry a prospective husband must provide and throughout their lives they wear this portable savings account, adding to it when they can, but free to use it to satisfy their own needs. In the past the assets of the tribe might be converted into jewelry since according to tradition a woman's possessions were exempt from capture during the frequent skirmishes with rival tribes. The intrinsic value of the silver could just as easily have been preserved in crude circlets to be worn in unimaginative multiples so it is a tribute to feminine imagination that the jewelry designs are so rich and varied.
											Home About the Author Speaker Services | Consulting Services Bedouin Jewelry | The Collection Photos | Related Sites URL: www.saudiexperience.com/WomansTreasure.html Web design by: PC Meade   Last updated: 10/7/04 © 2004 Frances Meade. All rights reserved.