The Dorothy Methvin McClatchey Collection
Pendant
Thailand or Laos
1994.34.29
Early 20th Century
The Golden Triangle of Southeast Asia lies at the juncture of
Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. Much of the population that inhabits
this hilly area is organized into small tribal groups, including
the Akha, Karen, Lahu, Yao, Lisu, Mien and Hmong. In each of these
groups, silver jewelry plays an important role in personal
ornamentation, particularly during special events such as New Year
ceremonies where the finest clothing and jewelry are displayed. In
this region where traditional currency has been devalued, many of
these tribal groups keep a great deal of their wealth in silver
jewelry. Silver pendants with miniature grooming tools are commonly
worn by members of these groups, much like the chatelaine worn by
Victorian women during the nineteenth century. This pendant has a
central circular motif with several chains suspended beneath. Two
of these chains terminate in bangles while the other five end with
personal grooming tools, including a pair of tweezers, a spoon and
three spatulate pieces.
