Hirizi (Amuletic Necklace)

Alternatively known as hirz (Arabic) or xirsi (Somali), hirizi have been popular across much of the Islamic world as both symbols of devotion and as means of protecting the wearers. The elaborate hammered and soldered silver containers held passages from the Quran or other philosophical writings prepared by a cleric that were intended to mediate the particular concerns of the owner. The contents of this amulet were emptied sometime prior to its collection in 1975, although a now illegible inscription is visible behind the red glass medallion at the center.


The use of silver further reinforces this necklace’s value and amuletic properties. Prior to modern banking, a family’s wealth was typically invested in silver and gold jewelry. Silver was often preferred to gold, in part because it was more affordable and thus allowed for larger, more elaborate commissions. Silver was also believed to have protective qualities, adding to the necklace’s role as an amuletic device. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, most silver used for making jewelry in the Western Indian Ocean derived from the Maria Theresa dollar. These allusions to currency and wealth are reinforced by the inclusion of two quarter-rupee coins on either side of the central red medallion.