The history of the people is manifested, among other things, through their traditional crafts. Jewelry art which originates from blacksmithing has a special place in Yakut culture.
One of the most representative examples of the development of jewelry craftsmanship in Yakutia is the history of traditional women’s jewelry made of metal. One jeweler could make more than 40 different items from silver, as well as gold rings, earrings and bracelets.
Both ancient original forms and elements that date back to later periods were combined in Yakut jewelry, constituting harmonious sets. Thus, they were a mix of tradition and modernity.
The preservation of many archaic elements made metallic jewelry a characteristic ethnic feature of traditional Yakut costume in the 19th century.
Thus, the fibula brooch was common in the 19th century. It fastened the collar cut of a woman’s dress, and also served as an ornament for national clothing.
There are several types of such items found in museum collections, varying in both shape and style. Some brooches have a round shape and side protrusions. They consist of two or three parallel circles. Others are rectangular and slightly tapered towards the middle.
The brooch from the museum collection, also called “tiil timekh”, was made by Pavel Pavlov, a Sakha jeweler. Most likely, the piece was made to order.
This piece of jewelry is made up of three disks that are joined together. The two outermost plates slightly overlap the center plate.
The fibula is made by casting, forging and engraving. The craftsman was able to create an integral composition with a clear, simple, but non-standard ornament on a small piece. The carved pattern consists of concentric circles. In the middle of the rosette there is an engraved flower: on the outermost disks — with six petals, in the center — with four, and in the grooves of the latter there are rhombuses. The flowers on the two disks are bordered by an eight-pointed figure made of arcs.
