London Book Launch by Dr Sigrid van Roode of her new book ‘Silver of the Possessed: Jewellery in the Egyptian Zār’

Dutch academic and author Dr Sigrid van Roode will join us in the gallery on the evening of October 3, 2024, for the lunch of her fascinating new book: Silver of the Possessed: Jewellery in the Egyptian zār (Sidestone Press, 2024).

What is zār?  In the 19th century an African possession cult called zār arrived in Egypt and became very popular. Jewellery and adornment formed an integral part of the cult, and silver pendants with images of spirits appeared by the early 20th century. These were complemented by other forms of zār-related jewellery.

Dr van Roode’s presentation will focus on these unusual items of adornment, the cult itself, and of course, her fine new book on the topic.