The creator of the brooch is Manaba Magomedova, the first female jeweler, who came from a family of Kubachi goldsmiths. In her family, the family silver and goldsmith’s tools passed from father to son eleven times, but in the twelfth generation they were passed on to a daughter. Manaba inherited her father’s talent and strong character to establish herself as an international artist. She was a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR, the People’s Artist of Dagestan and Honored Artist of the Russian Federation. The cause of Manaba Magomedova is continued by her daughter Leyla Izabakarova.
The jewelry brooch by Manaba Magomedova is made in the form of a circle, which is decorated with bright green chrysoprase and granulation. It is an ancient jewelry technique consisting of small gold, platinum or silver granules, which create a spectacular texture and play of light and shade. Traditional technique of Kubachi craftsmen includes numerous granules and a metal string around the inlay with a stone or a pearl. On the brooch the granules are placed all around the circumference, which gives it some volume. After the artist’s death, the brooch was displayed in the Historical Museum of the Moscow Kremlin at the exhibition “Silver Legend of the Caucasus”, after which it was handed over to the Dagestan Museum of the History of World Cultures and Religions.
In the center of the brooch is a cross inlaid with pearls and garnets. The gems on the brooch are placed on a smooth setting, which highlights their sculptural form and texture. The cross in the center of the circle can be found on Neolithic and Bronze Age artifacts in Europe. In prehistoric religion this symbol indicated cult objects. It was used as a sign of the Earth, the Sun or the wheel of the solar chariot, which makes sunrises and sunsets happen. The cross in a circle can be seen in the ornaments and decorations of many peoples of traditional culture.
The historical motifs of ancient craftsmen are one of the sources which inspired Manaba Magomedova. In her works, she tried to preserve the spirit of her small motherland, Kubachi — a highland village with a thousand-year history, where in the masonry of ancient houses you can see relief ornaments with knights, fantastic birds, strange beasts and sacred signs.
The jewelry brooch by Manaba Magomedova is made in the form of a circle, which is decorated with bright green chrysoprase and granulation. It is an ancient jewelry technique consisting of small gold, platinum or silver granules, which create a spectacular texture and play of light and shade. Traditional technique of Kubachi craftsmen includes numerous granules and a metal string around the inlay with a stone or a pearl. On the brooch the granules are placed all around the circumference, which gives it some volume. After the artist’s death, the brooch was displayed in the Historical Museum of the Moscow Kremlin at the exhibition “Silver Legend of the Caucasus”, after which it was handed over to the Dagestan Museum of the History of World Cultures and Religions.
In the center of the brooch is a cross inlaid with pearls and garnets. The gems on the brooch are placed on a smooth setting, which highlights their sculptural form and texture. The cross in the center of the circle can be found on Neolithic and Bronze Age artifacts in Europe. In prehistoric religion this symbol indicated cult objects. It was used as a sign of the Earth, the Sun or the wheel of the solar chariot, which makes sunrises and sunsets happen. The cross in a circle can be seen in the ornaments and decorations of many peoples of traditional culture.
The historical motifs of ancient craftsmen are one of the sources which inspired Manaba Magomedova. In her works, she tried to preserve the spirit of her small motherland, Kubachi — a highland village with a thousand-year history, where in the masonry of ancient houses you can see relief ornaments with knights, fantastic birds, strange beasts and sacred signs.
