Bridal jewelry casket from Yemenite Jewish tradition

This casket preserved the silver ornaments of the Yemenite Jewish bride, jewelry passed down and worn during nuptial ceremonies, constituting a significant portion of the dowry and of women's patrimony. Jewish silversmithing in Yemen enjoyed remarkable renown, as Jewish craftsmen were the principal masters of silverwork, filigree, and granulation in that country. The casket is covered with the fine granulation and pierced motifs characteristic of this tradition, echoing the ornaments it housed. An object of the feminine trousseau, it illustrates the central place of silver jewelry in the matrimonial ritual and domestic economy of Yemenite Jews.