The Women of Mesopotamia Collection

This collection contains traditional metal and glass elements, inspired by Indian and Persian court jewellery in gemstones and silver. Worn by nomad women of Mesopotamia, in south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq, such pieces would have been adorned with multiple hanging chains, bells and other charms, making it large, highly visible, musical and heavy ornaments.
I adapted these beautifully hand crafted, pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women. To emphasise their poetic naivety, I combined them with coloured leather, shells and modern glass or wooden beads.
Each piece is unique, and the collection limited to 50 numbered pieces.
A collection commissioned by the Freer Sackler Museum Shop, Smithsonian Institute, Washington DC.

La collection « The Women of Mesopotamia »

Cette collection est centrée sur des pièces de colliers traditionnels en métal et en verre, inspirés des bijoux en argent et pierres précieuses des cours royales persanes, moghols et indiennes. Portées par les femmes nomades de Mésopotamie - actuellement le sud-est de la Turquie, le Nord Est de la Syrie et de l’Iraq - les parures complètes s’ornaient de multiples chaînes, clochettes et pendeloques, qui en faisaient des bijoux très lourds, imposants et musicaux. Zabou a adapté ces pièces qui dénotent un savoir-faire délicat pour créer des colliers faciles à porter au 21ème siècle. Pour en souligner leur poésie naïve, elle les a combinées avec des perles en verre ou en bois modernes, des coquillages et des cuirs de couleur.
Une collection commanditée par la boutique du Musée Freer Sackler, Smithsonian Institute, et limitée à 50 pièces uniques et numérotées.

WoM 2 : UI
The central pendant of the necklace is one of many elements of traditional wedding ornamentation, worn on their heads or around their necks by nomad women of the wide and fiat plains of Mesopotamia, in south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq.
In full wedding ornamentation, each pendant would have also been adorned with multiple small hanging chains, bells and other charms, making it a large, musical and heavy.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted traditional pieces of metal, silver, glass and beads to make them easily wearable by 21st century women. To emphasize their poetic naivety, I have combined them with plain wooden beads.

WoM 6 : UI
The central pendant is part of traditional piece with multiple hanging chains and trinkets worn by nomad women of the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia - south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women. To emphasize their poetic naivety, I have combined them with plain wooden beads from the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.

WoM 10 : UI
The central pendant is a hair clip from Nomad Women of Mesopotamia, in south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq. The clip was originally have been adorned with multiple small hanging chains and bells.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted traditional pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women. To emphasize their poetic naivety, I have combined them lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, a sea shell and plain modern plastic disks.

WoM 17 : NI
Central pendant: Element of a traditional ornament, worn by nomad women of Mesopotamia, in south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq. The full piece would have been adorned with multiple hanging chains, bells and other charms, making it a large, musical and heavy and spectacular piece.

WoM 12 : BI
The central pendant is one element of a traditional piece with multiple hanging chains and trinkets worn by nomad women of the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia - south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women and combined them with modern and plastic disks, worn all over West Africa.

WoM 15 : NI
Central pendant : Hair clip from Nomad Women of Mesopotamia, in south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq. It was originally odorned with multiple small hanging chains, and bells and other chains.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women and combined them modem artisanal beads mode in Ghana from recycled beer bottles.

WoM 20 : AI
Late 19th to early 20th century metal elements of traditional necklaces from Nomad women from the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia - south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The leaf shaped design has been in use ever since the time of the Persian empire and can be recognized in ceramics, rugs and textiles in addition to being still a key element for jewelry.
Modern felt and leather from Turkey.

WoM 24 : BB
The central pendant and the bells were part of traditional jewelry, with multiple hanging chains, and trinkets, worn by nomad women of the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia - south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq. The embroidered tassels are Turkmen ornaments for the decoration of tents, garments and saddlery.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women. To emphasize their poetic naivety, I have combined them with modern wood beads discovered in the busy bazaars of Istanbul.

WoM 30 : GI
The central pendant is one element of a traditional piece with multiple hanging chains and trinkets worn by nomad women of the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia - south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq.
I have adapted these beautifully hand-crafted pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women and combined them with silk tassels, mounted on rubber, with a silver clasp.

WoM 1 : AI
The central pendant of the necklace is one of many elements of traditional wedding ornamentation, worn on their heads or around their necks by nomad women of the wide and fiat plains of Mesopotamia, in south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq.
In full wedding ornamentation, each pendant would have also been adorned with multiple small hanging chains, bells and other charms, making it a large, musical and heavy.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted traditional pieces of metal, silver, glass and beads to make them easily wearable by 21st century women. To emphasize their poetic naivety, I have combined them with plain glass beads and hand-polished lapis lazuli from Afghanistan.

WoM 7 : NB
The central pendant of the necklace is a traditional mid-20th
century brooch worn by nomad women of the wide flat plains of
Mesopotam ia in south-eastern Turkey, north-eastem Syria and Iraq.
I have complemented this simple hand-crafted piece with 20th
century glass beads made from recycled beer bottles (from Ghana),
modern wooden beads and acrocheted flower. This type of flower is sewn on the borders of shawls in the Turkish countryside. The pink ribbons are used by Istanbul florists to tie spring
bouquets.

WoM 3 : UI
The central pendant of the necklace is one of many elements of traditional wedding ornamentation, worn on their heads or around their necks by nomad women of the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia, in south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq.
In full wedding ornamentation, each pendant would have also been adorned with multiple small hanging chains, bells and other charms, making it a large, musical and heavy piece.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted traditional pieces of metal, silver, glass and beads to make them easily wearable by 21st century women. To emphasize their poetic naivety, I have combined them with plain coral beads, a white shell and hand-polished lapis lazuli from Afghanistan.

WoM 8: NI
The central pendant of the necklace is one of many elements of traditional wedding ornamentatîon, worn on their heads or around their necks by nomad women of the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia, in south-eastern Turkey, north-eastem Syria and Iraq.
ln full wedding ornamentation, each pendant would have also been adorned with multiple small hanging chains, bells and other charms making it a large, musical and heavy.

WoM 13 : NI
The central pendant is one element of a traditional piece with multiple hanging chains and trinkets worn by nomad women of the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia - south-eastern Turkey, north­eastern Syria and Iraq.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women and combined then with lapis lazuli from Afghanistan and Ghanaian recycled glass beads.

WoM 16 : NI
The central pendent is a hair clip from Nomad Women Mesopotomia, in south-eastern Turkey, noth-eastem Syria and Iraq. Such clip would originally have been adorned with multiple small hanging chains, beIls and trinkets.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted, metal and glass pieces to make them easily wearoble by 21st century women and combined those modem wooden and plastic beads popular today in West Africa.

WoM 19 : NI
The central pendant, is a hand crafted metal and glass element of a traditional piece with multiple hanging chains and trinkets worn by nomad women of the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia - south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq and Afghanistan.
Blue Glass beads : Early 20th century handcrafted in central Anatolia, a traditional design is still made and very popular in Turkey today.
Blue and red bead cylinders : Traditional ornaments to be sawn on garments and belts. Hand made by women in Afghan rural villages.
Blue Felt Beads : Modern, imported from Nepal to Istanbul Bazar.

WoM 25 : NI
The central pendant was part of traditional jewelry, with multiple hanging chains and trinkets, worn by nomad women of the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia - south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women. To emphasize their poetic naivety, I have combined them with modern wood beads discovered in the busy bazaars of Istanbul.

WoM 27 : BI
The central pendant was part of traditional jewelry, with multiple hanging chains and trinkets, worn by nomad women of the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia - south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women. To emphasize their poetic naivety, I have combined them with modern wood beads discovered in the busy bazaars of Istanbul.

WoM 22 : NB
The central pendant and metal elements are parts of traditional jewelry, with multiple hanging chains and trinkets, worn by nomad women of the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia - south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women. To emphasize their poetic naivety, I have combined them with modern wood and glass beads and cotton tassels from the bazaars of Istanbul.

WoM 4 : BI
The central pendant of the necklace is one of many elements of traditional wedding ornamentation, worn on their heads or around their necks by nomad women of the wide and fiat plains of Mesopotamia, in south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq.
In full wedding ornamentation, each pendant would have also been adorned with multiple small hanging chains, bells and other charms, making it a large, musical and heavy.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted traditional pieces of metal, silver, glass and beads to make them easily wearable by 21st century women. To emphasize their poetic naivety, I have combined them with plain wooden beads and crocheted flowers, traditionally sewn on shawls in the Turkish countryside.

WoM 5 : NI
Central pendant : Element of a traditional ornament, worn by nomad women of Mesopotamia, in south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq. The full piece would have been adorned with multiple hanging chains, bells and other charms, making it a large, musical and heavy and spectacular piece.

WoM 11 : NI
Central pendant : Element of a traditional ornament, worn by nomad women of Mesopotamia, in south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq. The full piece would have been adorned with multiple hanging chains, bells and other charms, making it a large, musical and heavy piece. I adapted these beautifully hand crafted, pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women. To emphasize their poetic naivety, I combined them with coloured leather and modern glass beads from Ghana.

WoM 9 : UI
The central pendant is one element of a traditional piece with multiple hanging chains and trinkets worn by nomad women of the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia - south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women. To emphasize their poetic naivety, I have combined them with plain modern wooden beads and plastic disks.

WoM 14 : NI
Central pendant : The central pendant is one element of a traditional piece with multiple hanging chains and trinkets worn by nomad women of the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia - south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq
I adapted these beautifully hand crafted elements pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women and combined them with beach weathered sea shells.

WoM 18 : NI
The central pendant is a hair clip from Nomad Women in Mesopotamia, in south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Such clip were originally adorned with multiple small hanging chains, bells and trinkets. A few such bells and trinkets are included in this piece.
I adapted these beautifully hand crafted, metal and glass pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women and combined them with handcrafted felt tongues from Afghanistan and coloured leather.

WoM 21 : NI
The central pendant and back elements are parts of traditional jewelry, with multiple hanging chains and trinkets, worn by nomad women of the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia - south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women. To emphasize their poetic naivety, I have combined them with beads and tassels from the bazaars of Istanbul.

WoM 23: NI
The central pendant and metal elements are parts of traditional jewelry, with multiple hanging chains and trinkets, worn by nomad women of the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia - south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women. To emphasize their poetic naivety, I have combined them with modern wood and glass beads and cotton tassels from the bazaars of Istanbul.

WoM 26 : BI
The central pendant was part of traditional jewelry, with multiple hanging chains and trinkets, worn by nomad women of the wide and flat plains of Mesopotamia - south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria and Iraq.
I have adapted these beautifully hand crafted pieces to make them easily wearable by 21st century women. To emphasize their poetic naivety, I have combined them with modern wood beads discovered in the busy bazaars of Istanbul.