Ajoure

Both objects, ornamented with ajoure designs and twisted wire, are attached to a ring.

The straight edge of the lace comprises ajoure fabric with inserted braid. To the ajoure fabric are attached flowers comprising eight leaves with a half stitch in the centre.

About it 16 ajoure plates in the shape of a dove (111. 5 on fig. 119) and 50 round Medusa heads, by her temples beautiful Greek earrings (ib. in. 6, 7), on her neck a golden hoop and a necklace (ib. iv. 1, 2).

The binders worked in the traditional Eastern manner, with arabesques and gilding and cut-out (ajoure) leather over a coloured background.

Moreover, the exquisite art of making textiles "ajoure" created masterpieces of design which at one time graced and embellished thousands of vernerated altars throughout Christendom.

It is Phoenician ajoure or openwork and carved in three-quarter relief.

During the Egyptian Middle Kingdom (c. 2133-1786 BC ) metalworkers attained a very high degree of skill , working in every decorative technique, including repousse, ajoure, chasing and engraving, granulation, wirework, enameling, and lapidary work.

Several half finished objects hint at this possibility, such as ajoure inlay No. 513 in which one worker drilled the basic perforations while another one was probably supposed to enlarge the designs later on, but never did.