An interesting collection of jewellery that the women in the UAE used to wear is displayed in this section. Work in silver in both UAE and Oman is varied and has been well known for centuries. Indeed the evidence shows that women in the UAE and Oman enjoyed wearing jewellery from the late Stone Age. The objects displayed in the Al Ain Museum include pendants, necklaces, anklets, bangles, hairpins and hair dresses. Some of these are, designed to be worn by young girls, adult females or mar ried women.

In Oman, the
neighbouring country, there are several big production centres. Nizwa, which is located at a distance of 275km southeast of Al Ain is one of the centres. The Maria Theresa dollar (stamped 1780) which also uses to be the currency in the southeast of Arabia (Oman and the UAE) was used as an ornamental piece as well. Necklaces composed of these dollars and linked, by a string of silver beads with a central medallion were worn by girls. These dollars were also melted down and used as a source for Omani silver for a long time. The large case (12) shows the bride in her wedding dress, together with her golden jewellery and cosmetic materials. Gold was mainly imported from India. The case also shows the 'mandoos', where the pride used to keep her cloths, and the 'sehara' (a small wooden chest) to keep smaller
jewellery and cosmetic materials.



Among the exhibits are kohl, a kohl container, incense burners, cosmetic containers and censors. Most of the cosmetic containers were locally made. More golden jewellery is displayed in the next case (13). Next to the bride and her accessories is another case (14) with more glass containers and perfume bottles.

A palm frond basket to keep cosmetics and two perfume sprinklers are also displayed. Embroidery is also, illustrated by a photograph and by an object the women used to decorate the cloths with silver threads (Case 15).