Jewelry and Adornment of Libya: A Comprehensive Chronicle of Heritage and Craft

Libya boasts a rich heritage of traditional jewelry and adornment, yet very few resources have explored this legacy in depth. With the release of “Jewelry and Adornment of Libya” by researcher Hala Ghellali, this academic gap has begun to be addressed seriously. The book provides a significant contribution on multiple levels.

A Personal Vision Turned into a Scholarly Reference

Hala Ghellali, the author, is Libyan by origin and grew up in Tripoli, where she first encountered silver jewelry as a young woman when her father took her to the souq to buy silver bracelets. These personal memories became the starting point of her book. However, her academic and cultural background is far broader: she studied in Tripoli, continued her education in France, and later lived in Italy, Egypt, Syria, and finally the United States.

Her deep interest in Libya’s tangible and intangible history—ranging from poetry and proverbs to motifs and beliefs—clearly shaped years of field research and specialized documentation in the field of jewelry and adornment.

A Multi-Language, Multi-Source Reference

One of the book’s key strengths lies in its richness of references. It meticulously documents its sources, drawing from Arabic, Italian, French, and English materials, while explicitly stating which silversmith contributed each piece of information or anecdote. This rigorous research approach elevates the book to the level of an academic reference, setting it apart from earlier works such as “Libyan Jewellery – A Journey Through Symbols” by Elena Schenone Alberini (1998), which provided a bibliography but lacked detailed citations.

This diversity of sources results in a comprehensive work that provides readers with a full social, cultural, and historical background, offering a deeper context for understanding jewelry beyond its visual appearance.

Part One: The World of Silversmiths

The book begins with three chapters dedicated to the history of Libyan silversmithing, delving into unprecedented detail about jewelry production—from archaeological evidence and travelers’ diaries to trade records that reveal pricing structures and patterns of buying and selling.

Among its notable examples is the close connection between Jewish silversmith communities in Tripoli and those in Djerba, Tunisia. These regional links—later disrupted by colonial borders—produced a strong cultural and artisanal exchange, to the extent that much southern Tunisian jewelry bore hallmarks originating from Tripoli.

The chapters also explore guild organization, traditional techniques, and terminology used by both Muslim and Jewish artisans, while analyzing how political and economic developments shaped the industry over time.

Special attention is given to the topic of hallmarks, explaining their evolution during and after the Italian colonial period, and clarifying the differences between official assay marks and personal maker’s stamps.

Part Two: Jewelry from Head to Toe

The middle section contains ten full chapters that present different types of jewelry—from headpieces to waistcoat buttons, belts, anklets, and decorated slippers. Each item is listed with its local name, along with poetry, proverbs, and popular song excerpts, as well as explanations of their linguistic origins and symbolic meanings.

The book does more than merely describe objects—it offers glimpses into daily customs, beliefs, and the occasions associated with each piece. Photography plays a central role here, featuring unpublished images from private collections and archival photos showing how these ornaments were actually worn.

Part Three: Wedding Traditions in Tripoli

The final section documents adornment customs in Tripoli’s engagement and wedding ceremonies, illustrated with vintage photos of real-life celebrations. This is a valuable contribution, preserving traditions that are fading as lifestyles change.

Racing Against Time to Save Memory

The epilogue highlights the challenges Ghellali faced while creating this work. Beyond limited access to archives after 2011, there was an even greater obstacle: the rapid disappearance of the last generation of artisans and women who still remember pre–World War II customs and songs.

To preserve this intangible heritage, the book includes an appendix listing the names of Tripolitan silversmiths and goldsmiths. Even though their full biographies or hallmark stamps require future research, recording their names is itself an act of cultural preservation.

Glossary and Critical Notes

The book also features a four-page glossary of jewelry terms in Libyan Arabic, making it a valuable tool for researchers.

From a reviewer’s perspective, minor suggestions include adding a map to show the geographic locations of the mentioned cities, providing stronger archaeological evidence to support interpretations of symbols like the “Tanit triangle” or “cross-in-circle,” and reconsidering the use of green font for quotations, which may affect readability. However, these are stylistic issues that do not detract from the book’s significant scholarly value.

A Landmark Resource for Researchers and Enthusiasts

Although the author clarifies that her intention was not to create an exhaustive catalog, “Jewelry and Adornment of Libya” sets a new benchmark for studies of Libyan traditional jewelry. With its extensive sources, deep analysis, and precise documentation, it is far more than a display of ornaments—it is a living record of the social, cultural, and historical world in which these pieces were created.