They're one of my favorite collections. The reason why I collect rocks is because they are all special to me in a certain way. I think that every rock has its own story. Abeer Beshir Abdalla is 14 but looks much older in her elegant gown of green and gold. She collects jewelry and clothes from the Middle East, and her table is covered with silver filigree necklaces and bedouin daggers.
Some pieces are incredibly delicate and are lacquered onto boxes.
It was handed down by five generations of women to me. The bedouins sprinkle rose water down the aisle for the bride at a wedding. I see some magnificent silver ankle bracelets and a belt of Arabian vermeil coins. I see an intricately decorated silver bottle of kohl eyeliner, which is made of dried rose petals and applied with a small silver pencil dipped in rose water. I like to imagine where they came from.