Silver Items   |   Textiles

The earliest evidence of Ethiopian history is around 1000BCE when the Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon. Today, over 50 million people live in this vast North East African country whose diverse population follows the religions of Orthodox Christianity (40%), Islam (40%) and Judaism (though most Jews have left, by force or by choice, for Israel.)

This high quality silver exhibits detailed filigree work and distinctive designs that range from Coptic crosses to the Star of David. What makes this jewelry truly unique is that it is in a sense "recycled" as it's made by melting Maria Theresa silver thalers (dollars).

The Austrian Maria Theresa thaler (dollar) served as a trade dollar world wide for over 200 years. Initially minted in 1782, this coin has been used in many countries such as Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco, Niger, and Chad and is still used today in a few remote places.