Moroccan Berber Necklace | Morocco | African Trade Beads popular 141774

PRODUCT DETAILS

+ Materials - Silver unknown metal, phenolic resin
+ Made In - Morocco
+ Traded In - Africa
+ Overall Condition - Good. Some of our beads have traveled at least three continents, and have graced numerous owners. Small chips, corrosion, and pitting are a normal part of their patina attesting to their age and extensive use.
+ Object Size - 19-40 mm diameter. See picture with penny for size comparison (US penny is 19mm diameter).
+ Necklace Length - 22 inches (including string/raffia) adjustable
+ Brand - Unbranded
+ Style - Beaded
+ Type - Necklace

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Additional Information:

Morocco is well known for its artisans and silversmiths, and the jewelry they create - whether new or antique - draws on history and symbolism. 

The Berber People and the jewelry of their culture is a traditional style popular of jewelry worn mainly by women in the rural areas of the Maghreb region (Northwestern Africa). Berber silversmiths and artisans created intricate jewelry designs with distinct regional variations. 

Berber women often receive elaborate silver or other jewelry from their husbands when they get married, as this ensures that she has her own wealth in the event of an emergency or of becoming a widow. You will often see official coins used as adornments to jewelry so that if necessary, they could be broken off and sold. Jewelry is also easy to take during annual migrations so you were always able to take the valuable pieces with you. Women also hand their jewelry down from generation to generation, maintaining their ethnic identity and cultural traditions. 

Berber jewelry often features beads of amber, coral, or semi-precious stones, coins, chains, and intricate silver designs. The shapes and forms the jewelry takes draws from Berber symbology, Islamic tradition, and some are intended to ward off evil. 

 

Sources: 

Gargouri-Sethom, Samira (1986). Le bijou traditionnel en Tunisie: femmes parées, femmes enchaînées (in French). La Calade, Aix-en-Provence: Edisud.

Rabaté, Marie-Rose (2015). Les bijoux du Maroc : du Haut-Atlas à la vallée du Draa (in French). Paris-La Défense: ACR édition.

Rabaté, Marie-Rose; Rabaté, Jacques; Champault, Dominique (1996). Bijoux du Maroc: du Haut Atlas à la vallée du Draa. Aix-en-Provence: Edisud/Le Fennec.

Rabaté, Marie-Rose; Goldenberg, André; Thau, Jean-Louis (1999). Bijoux du Maroc du Haut Atlas à la Méditerranée, depuis le temps des juifs jusqu'à la fin du XXe siècle. Aix-en-Provence: Edisud/Eddif.

Sheppard, Lynn. “Berber Jewelry, The Art of Moroccan Silver.” Morocco Travel. 22 December 2014. https://moroccotravelblog.com/2014/12/22/berber-jewelry-the-art-of-moroccan-silver/

 

 


SKU: 141774