Pendant with Fishes and Amulets, Part of a Set
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This pendant and pendants 2022.463.5, .6, .8, worked in gold, once belonged to a lavish headdress with fish-shaped elements, which was part of a luxurious bridal outfit. Similar fish-shaped elements also are known to appear in luxurious necklaces still preserved in the royal collections of the Topkapi Palace Museum, Istanbul. The fish motif symbolizes fertility, and the amulets have apotropaic functions. Gold and heavy silver jewelry was part of a wealthy woman's dowry and considered an important financial reserve. Decorative details such as the fish or amulets, were intended to help ensure a healthy life of the bride and future mother of the household, along with easy childbirth and healthy children.
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