Silver betrothal cup (Sivlonot) from Germany

This silver cup was a gift (sivlonot) presented by the groom to his bride-to-be at the time of betrothal, in accordance with the Ashkenazic custom of exchanging engagement gifts before marriage. The sivlonot sealed the matrimonial agreement and publicly attested to the projected union between the two families, within a codified social and legal framework. In Germany, these cups were engraved with the names of the betrothed and the date of the engagement, making them personalized commemorative objects. An object of the matrimonial life cycle, the betrothal cup illustrates the customs of engagement and the exchange of gifts in the Ashkenazic world.