On 12 July 2024, the exhibition ‘The Elegance of Silver: Valuables of the Omani Court’ will open in the Moscow Kremlin Museums.
The display will occupy the exhibition venue of the Patriarch’s Palace and become not only the first mutual project of the Moscow Kremlin Museums and the National Museum in the Sultanate of Oman but also the first exhibition in Moscow to present the traditional culture of this Eastern country.
The most interesting and bright monuments from the collection of the National Museum in the Sultanate of Oman were chosen for the project. It will demonstrate the rich cultural and historical heritage of Oman: the exposition will show fine artworks of the Omani craftsmen – ceremonial daggers, belts, amulets and jewellery made of the precious metal, national costumes and unusual accessories.
“The project ‘The Elegance of Silver: Valuables of the Omani Court’ in the Moscow Kremlin Museums is the beginning of a large cooperation with our colleagues from the National Museum. Our guests will see the exhibits that will discover an unfamiliar and fascinating world of traditional Omani culture, each hiding its unique history. Picked up together, they form an integral narration that reflects an unbreakable bond of past and present in the Omani culture. It is worth saying that we are preparing an exchange project: the exhibition from the collection of our museum is to open in Oman in 2025”, notes Elena Gagrina, General Director of the Moscow Kremlin Museums.
The exhibition ‘The Elegance of Silver: Valuables of the Omani Court’ will tell that from ancient times to the present day, silver jewellery has been used not only as a sign of the status and material well-being of its owner but also as a means of artistic self-expression. It is often possible to identify a specific region or even a particular workshop in the peculiarities of decoration since ornamental motifs have been passed down from generation to generation for centuries.
To understand the exceptional role of silver in the history and culture of Oman, it is worth noting that the precious metal was used in making the traditional Omani khanjar dagger, depicted in the Sultanate's national emblem.
Women and men of all ages and social status wore silver jewellery in Oman, either at the Sultan's court or in everyday life. Whether it was a ceremonial dagger, a Noble Qur’an case necklace or a ring, each object was crafted with filigree artistry and became not only an accessory but also a metaphysical object, embodying spiritual protection and combining the perfection of form with the value of the precious metal.
Two groups of memorabilia from prominent figures in Omani history occupy a special place in the exhibition hall. The first is a traditional costume belonging to Sheikh Sir Mbarak bin Ali al-Hinawi (1896-1959), who was the chief representative of the Sultan of Zanzibar in the coastal regions of East Africa and is also known as a historian and researcher of Swahili culture. The second complex contains the personal belongings and jewellery of Princess Sayyida Salma bint Sa'id al-Busa'idi (c. 1844-1924), author of the world's first autobiography of an Arab noblewoman.
Duration of the exhibition: 12 July 2024 – 29 September 2024
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