3 pieces - head ornament made of one cap and two side pieces that attach at the sides. The cresent shape piece would have rested on the forehead. On each side piece are seven crescents and seven stars. Machine made. This example probably from Bahrain or similar: it is not in the typical Qatari taste. Important element of the bridal jewellery, also worn at Henna night. This is probably from the 1980s. Perhaps machine-made, an imitation of earlier hand-made pieces. Perhaps given as a dowry for the bride. If the groom could not afford this important piece of bridal jewellery, a wealthy family might lend it to her for the wedding.. Selected for display as part of the henna night celebrations rather than the wedding itself, as the henna night became popular in more recenet years (1980s onwards) when families became wealthier, and this piece dates from around that time. Ornate bejeweled head ornament composed of three parts: Head cap (.1) and two long side pieces (.2 and .3).
The head cap (2011.547.1) is a convex disc with a crescent-with-triangle pendant at front and a double-chain with teardrop-shaped hook end at back.
The disc is ornately decorated with a combination of raised hammered domes, punched wire, filigree, and (apparently glass) gems and beads in blue, pink, and white set into floral designs, the largest at center. Teardrop-shaped dangles, each with a central gem and a strand of two (faux) pearls at their tips, hang all the way around the edge of the cap and from the front pendant.
The long side pieces (2011.547.2) and (2011.547.3) each consist of seven floret-shaped elements alternating with seven crescent-shaped elements, all decorated similarly to the cap. The crescents have a teardrop dangle at each end. The side pieces attach to loops on the left and right edges of the cap with a simple hook soldered onto the backs of their top elements.
Some parts of the object appear to be mass-produced, such as the basic shaped plates each element is made from and the "hammered" domes and other applied decorations. The "gems" are glued in place with excess glue and have the appearance of glass or plastic. The pearls are revealed to be plastic or similar material with a pearlescent coating when viewed under the microscope.