I am back home after the Alberta 55+ Winter Games and want to share with you more of my camel collection.
Today’s pictures show the three faces of a triangular pyramid shaped vial. Each face has a camel walking by the traditional buildings of this desert community. On one face you can see the doorway which opens up into the courtyard behind. On another you can see the dome of possibly the mosque in this community. On the third face you can see the typical windows in the building.
Two of the camels have a herdsman leading the camel with their load of goods strapped onto the camel’s back. The third camel appears to be tied to the camel on the next face of this triangular pyramid and this herdsman seems to be leading two camels.
I took the stopper out and laid it on its side so you could see another herdsman with his flock of sheep. Both sides of this stopper have the same picture so altogether we have four herdsmen, three camels, and ten sheep.
The dauber, the stick at the bottom of the stopper that goes into the vial is not decorated but still looks very elegant.
I am not sure this particular vial would be used to hold perfume or other oils. It would be difficult to tell how much is in this vial. Most containers were made of glass and one could tell if the vial needed to be refilled.
Most likely this vial was made to sell to tourists and other visitors who were looking for a souvenir of their visit to this part of the word.
This tiny decorated memento shows quite a bit of the traditional way of life of the people who live in the Arabian desert. We see their adobe style buildings with typical windows and an entrance into the courtyard, the local mosque and other buildings in the community as well as their means of transportation, how they carried goods, and some of their livestock. The artist who made this is very talented and creative. Don’t you agree?
Learn more about my visit to this part of the world in my Travelling Tuesdays book. You can get an autographed copy of my book today.
