Belt crafted by Jewish silversmith. Sulaymaniyah (Slemani), Iraqi Kurdistan, [late 19th or early 20th century].
Silver (parcel gilt), cast, repoussé, and engraved; amber; cotton fabric.
Belt made from thick, broad, green strip of cotton fabric with small silver ornaments in recurrent pattern sewn on. Buckle large and dome-shaped, with vegetal patterns and parcel gilt octagonal star, with suspended chain with decorative hook at end. Long chain with amber bead sewn on next to buckle. Closed either by means of silver belt loop sewn on between ornaments, or with adjacent cloth loop.
A belt like this would be strapped around the baby following the circumcision ceremony; according to other sources, in Iraqi Kurdistan it was worn as a women's belt (the placement of the belt loop in the present belt suggests it was strapped around the baby).
80X8.5 cm.
References: Jews of Kurdistan: Lifestyle, Tradition, and Art, pp. 214-15; Arab and Islamic Silver, p. 24.