Jewellery collection
The LNMH jewellery collection is the largest collection of traditional 17th–19th-century jewellery made and used in the territory of Latvia. It is valuable material evidence of jewellery in folk clothing and the rituals and celebrations of traditional lifestyle. The collection contains about 2,700 items: brooches, the so-called double-button brooches, beads and rings. The most diverse type of jewellery represented in the collection is various brooches. The smallest of them were used to join the edges of the front slit of a shirt. Much larger were the brooches used for woollen shawls. The brooches used in traditional wedding rituals were ornate and impressive. The so-called engagement brooches had a distinctive ornament.
The collection consists of sets of objects from expeditions organised by the Riga Latvian Society, the Monuments Board and the Museum, supplemented by items from several hoards and private collections. Most jewellery collection items were made and used in the 18th–19th centuries.
Head curator of the collection Inita Heinola
In order to research the museum’s collection in person, those interested are invited to fill out the contact form, indicating the topic of interest and the chronology. After receiving the form, a museum specialist will contact you.