Arabian Silver – Maria Serenius' Jewellery from the Middle East and African Arab Cultures

Ambassador Maria Serenius, who lives in Espoo, worked as a development adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Embassy in Cairo from 1984 to 1988. Her main areas of responsibility were Sudan and Somalia. Much of the jewellery in the exhibition was sourced from Yemen, Egypt and Sudan. They have been exhibited in the residences and homes of Maria and Tapio Serenius.

Historical events, such as the establishment of the State of Israel, influenced Yemeni culture and jewellery through the silversmiths' trade. Yemeni silversmiths were the most skilled of all the makers of the Serenius jewellery collection. There were many Jewish silversmiths in Yemen. When the State of Israel was established in 1948, almost all of them emigrated to Israel.

Most of the jewellery in the exhibition is related to weddings. Some of the dowries were given as jewellery in Middle Eastern countries and became the property of the woman. They showed her status and were her insurance in case of divorce, hardship or other crisis. The custom of melting down old jewellery when a woman died has meant that very old Arab jewellery has not survived. Nowadays, as gold has risen in value, many people want their jewellery in gold. Few people in the Arab world still wear traditional silver jewellery.