A relic of an ancient craft

When Purim comes, it’s time to celebrate. One of the most joyful and colourful festivals of the Jewish calendar, Purim brings costume parties, dancing and giving gifts of sweet treats. Jews around the world also mark the occasion by unfurling a Megillah (scroll of Esther) and reading aloud the ancient story of how the Jewish queen Esther and her uncle Mordechai worked together to foil the evil Haman’s plot to annihilate their people.

A Megillah is usually rolled into a protective scroll case that reflects the artistic style of the time and place in which it was crafted. On display at the SAJM are four stunning Megillot: two cases are carved from wood and two made from silver containing either vellum, parchment or papyrus scrolls. The delicate filigree work of one of our small silver cases indicates that it was created by an expert Yemenite silversmith in the early 20th century. The scroll is handwritten on papyrus and fitted with a ring pull engraved with Hebrew characters. Its lacy crown is surmounted by ball terminals.

The silversmiths from Yemen

The history of exquisite handmade silverwork coming from Yemen dates back at least to the

1700s and probably further back to ancient times when Jews lived in the Arabian Peninsula, already acclaimed for their complex creations in gold and silver.

From the 18th century the craft of silversmithing in Yemen was exclusive to Jewish artisans, who enjoyed high status as members of the community’s elite, even sometimes employed by the royals of Yemen. Traditional methods were handed down in families whose expertise in intricate granulation and airy filigree brought them clients from far and wide, ranging from Muslim customers wanting wedding jewellery, ornate containers and dagger scabbards to Jewish customers wanting decorative Judaica, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and the gargush, a Yemenite Jewish headdress signalling marital status. In both communities a woman’s status was represented by the quality of her jewellery. For example, both Jewish and Muslim women wore the finest possible versions of the labbe, an elaborate bib-style necklace made of tiny components arranged in rows to look like a fragile net or spiderweb.

Dwindling community

From the late 18th century Jewish Yemenis began migrating to Palestine. During this time, Muslim craftsmen began entering the field of silversmithing as the religious restrictions on their involvement eased. The number of Jewish silversmiths in Yemen declined, as their skills were transferred to Israel, particularly the Bezalel School of Art and Design which employed a significant number of the Yemeni immigrants.

Between June 1949 and September 1950, Israel’s Operation Magic Carpet initiative was rolled out. In this mass migration almost every Jew in Yemen, including almost all the silversmiths, immigrated to Israel in an airlift organised by the fledgling state.

How to find Yemenite silver today

These days Israel is the only place where visitors can see the unique traditions of Yemeni silversmithing kept alive by artists and designers. Some, increasingly rarely, still use the age-old painstaking methods of creating pieces by hand, while others are adapting the styles and methods to align with modern trends.

The beauty and longstanding heritage of this ancient art has resulted in the inclusion of priceless Yemenite silver items in museums around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the British Museum, the Israel Museum, and right here in the South African Jewish Museum.