Morocco, a land nestled in the northwest corner of Africa, boasts a tradition and history that are deeply intertwined. From the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara Desert, the diverse landscapes set the stage for a vibrant cultural tapestry. This rich heritage is vividly reflected in its traditional jewelry, especially Moroccan silver rings.
Moroccan jewelry is more than just decoration; it's an artistic expression that reflects the country's cultural heritage. Each piece is carefully handcrafted, showcasing the artistry and craftsmanship passed down through generations.
Jewellery of a Berber woman in the Musée du quai Branly, Paris
Berber Jewelry: A Historical Perspective
The history of Moroccan jewelry dates back centuries. Morocco has long been a welcoming haven for immigrants from various groups. Following the Spanish Reconquista in 1492, many Jewish goldsmiths sought refuge in Morocco, bringing with them their expertise in jewelry-making techniques. They shared their knowledge with their Amazigh neighbors.
Berber jewellery (Tamazight language: iqchochne imagine, ⵉⵇⵇⵛⵓⵛⵏ ⵉⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵏ) is a historical style of traditional jewellery that was worn by women mainly in rural areas of the Maghreb region in North Africa and inhabited by Indigenous Berber people (in the Berber language Tamazight: Amazigh (sg.), Imazighen, pl). Berber communities exist in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and other locations, such as Libya. Following long social and cultural traditions, Berber or other silversmiths in Morocco, Algeria and neighbouring countries created intricate jewellery with distinct regional variations.
Read also: The Allure of Blue and White Tile
Handing their jewellery on from generation to generation, as a visual element of the Berber ethnic identity, women maintained this characteristic cultural tradition as part of their gender-specific adornments.
During the second part of the 20th century, the tradition of Berber jewellery was gradually abandoned in favour of different styles of jewellery made of gold. Berber jewellery was usually made of silver and included elaborate triangular plates and pins, originally used as clasps for garments, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and similar items.
In their documented history going as far back to prehistoric times, the different indigenous Berber peoples of North Africa have undergone constant changes in lifestyles and culture. Over time, the different Berber groups of the vast area that is North Africa adapted to external influences and their cultures, living partially as rural, but also as urban populations.
In rural areas, Berbers were traditionally farmers, living in mountains, plains or an oasis, such as the Siwa oasis in Egypt; but others, like the Tuareg and Zenata of the southern Sahara, were almost wholly nomadic. Jewellery is easy to transport, and the women could take it along on the annual migrations.
In a traditional world that functioned completely or largely without money, jewellery also played a role as a means of savings for emergencies. Thus, official coins were often used to adorn headgear, necklaces, etc. While the Arabized and urban inhabitants of North Africa preferred jewellery made of gold, the rural Berbers held on to silver jewellery for centuries.
Read also: Morocco's Blue Pearl
This provided the economic basis for the silversmiths in medium-sized towns, such as Tiznit or Sefrou in Morocco or in the Kabylia mountains in Algeria, which were often run by Jewish silversmiths. In Algeria, important centres of jewellery production and usage were the villages of the Beni Yenni district and the town of Ouadhiya in the Great Kabylia mountains east of Algiers.
Tuareg Jewelry Traditions
Jewellery made of silver, coloured glass or iron is also a special tradition of the Tuareg people. They belong to the Berber peoples and mostly still live as semi-nomads in parts of the Sahara in the Hoggar region of modern-day Algeria, Libya, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.
Their jewellery is remarkable for the so-called Cross of Agadez, even though only a few of these pieces resemble a cross. Most are worn as pendants with varied shapes that either resemble a cross or have the shape of a plate or shield. Historically, the oldest known specimens were made of stone or copper, but subsequently, the Tuareg blacksmiths also used iron and silver made in the lost-wax casting technique.
The Cross of Agadez in 21 modern variations, Niger, 2019
Materials and Techniques
Traditional Berber jewelry consists mainly of silver, cast in a mould and afterwards finished by hand. Depending on the region as well as the type of jewellery, enamelling, corals, beads of Amber and coloured glass or rarely semi-precious stones were applied.
Read also: Men's Moroccan Fashion
According to art historians, the art of enamelling using the cloisonné technique was introduced by Sephardi Jewish goldsmiths, who in turn had inherited this skill from their forefathers in Moorish Al-Andalus.
Another method used in the Maghreb is called filigrané, as thin silver filigree wire was used for intricate, mesh-like designs, to mark the boundaries of inserted beads or the areas for each colour of enamelled space in the typical shades of yellow, green and blue, before the melted glass powder was applied.
At that time, the most common techniques used for sterling silver in Moroccan jewelry were enamel, engraving, and filigree. The craftsman begins first by scratching his design on paper. Once the design of the Moroccan jewelry is made it must be glued on the plate. It is impossible to make a piece of jewelry without cutting it out first. In general, the craftsman uses a bocfil, in which he threads a thin saw blade. To accomplish this task, the craftsman uses several shapes and grains of files. Some projects will require the texture to be applied before welding the elements, for ease. There are a thousand ways of texturing metal - and just as many tools and techniques. Now that the wires are the right size and properly filed, it's time to shape them into the desired shape. The craftsman starts by softening the metal so that it can “bend” as well as possible.
To fully appreciate Moroccan silver jewelry, it pays to learn something about traditional Berber techniques of casting, hammering, chiseling, and engraving. Every artisan is adept at handwork. Filigree is the typical style of both the Jews and Berbers, passed on through generations. It is lovely and ornate, using fine silver wire. Designs are filled with niello, a black substance.
The Berber legacy survives and casting is still used. It is the simple method of pouring molten silver into a mold to harden before the application of niello. Chiseling is the process of cutting individual pieces into a variety of shapes.
Common Shapes and Forms
Typical basic forms of jewellery are triangles and almond shapes, as well as the so-called khmissa (local pronunciation of the Arabic word khamsa for the number five), which is called as in the Berber language (Tamazight). This form represents the five fingers of the hand and is traditionally believed both by Muslims as well as Jewish people to protect against the Evil Eye. Apart from these, geometrical, floral, animal and "cosmic" forms such as solar discs or crescents were used according to regional traditions.
The geometric shapes of jewellery can also be found in the ornaments of Berber mud-brick or stone buildings and on their traditional clothes and carpets.
During your visit to Morocco, you will see the Hand of Fatima or ‘khamsa’ represented everywhere from door knockers to decorations to jewlery. Common to the Islamic and Jewish faiths, it is believed to ward off evil or jealousy. The hand - with its five digits - is intrinsically linked to symbols of other faiths and cultures such as the five-pointed star or the pentagram.
Another common form is the ‘agadez’ or southern cross. These pendants are traditionally native to the Touareg tribes of the desert and are available across Morocco. There are said to be at least 21 variations on the central theme of an elaborate cross, each representing a tribe or homeland. Agadez crosses are made in the traditional way using a lost wax technique. Silver is melted on coal embers, and poured into a wax mold, placed in a mold of clay. Inserts of wood, glass or semi-precious stones, are sometimes added.
The Cultural Significance of Moroccan Jewelry
Pieces of jewellery were valued objects and worn for important celebrations, such as weddings, and religious and social gatherings like country fairs (moussem). They constituted the most important part of a husband's wedding gifts and a woman's dowry, which remained her personal property even in case of a divorce, and were passed on from one generation to the next. Due to changes in generations, taste and wealth, they were often changed and reworked.
Berber women often receive elaborate silver jewelry from their husbands at the time of marriage. This ensures that she has her own wealth in the event of hardship or of becoming widowed. Traditionally, these pieces are worn at the wedding and include headdresses, earrings, necklaces, bangles, bracelets and rings.
One of the headdresses worn by all Berber women at weddings is called a Tasfift and is essentially an ornate headpiece adorned with silver or nickel coins featuring King Mohammed V or Hassan II. The pieces worn by Berber women at weddings often feature beads of coral, amber or semi-precious stones plus cast coins and linked chains.
Shapes and forms include those which are intended to ward off evil or geometric shapes reflecting both the Islamic tradition and Berber symbology. Many families sadly no longer have these heirlooms and in modern cities has become common to hire costume jewelry for the wedding day.
As in many traditional cultures, jewelry was and remains multi-purpose.
Historical Berber workshop of a silversmith in Tiznit, Morocco
Moroccan Jewelry in Modern Fashion
Moroccan jewelry has long held a significant place in women's fashion, both in Morocco and around the world. The intricate designs and vibrant colors of this traditional jewelry add a touch of exoticism and elegance to any outfit.
One of the reasons Moroccan jewelry holds such significance in women's fashion is its ability to transform an ensemble into a statement. Whether it is a simple pair of earrings or a bold statement necklace, the unique designs of Moroccan jewelry draw attention and create conversation. They have the power to elevate even the most basic outfit, adding a touch of cultural authenticity to contemporary fashion.
Challenges and Preservation
Moroccan jewelry, with its intricate designs and rich cultural heritage, has captivated people worldwide. However, preserving and promoting this exquisite art form comes with a set of unique challenges.
Another challenge lies in the need to educate both locals and tourists about the significance and value of Moroccan jewelry. Many may not fully appreciate the intricate techniques and meaning behind each design, resulting in a lack of understanding and respect for the art form. To address this, various initiatives have been launched to raise awareness and provide educational resources. These include workshops, exhibitions, and storytelling sessions aimed at showcasing the beauty and cultural significance of Moroccan jewelry.
Notwithstanding the constant modernization in the rural regions of the Maghreb, migration from the countryside to the cities and other countries has been increasing steadily. According to most authors, however, contemporary Berber women have abandoned the use of traditional jewellery in favour of modern urban styles made of gold.
Museum Exhibitions and Scholarly Work
There is a growing interest in Berber Jewelry:
- In 2008, the Museum for African Art in New York opened an exhibition of Moroccan jewelry and art from the private Xavier Guerrand-Hermès collection.
- From December 2004 to August 2006, the Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology at Harvard University presented the exhibition Imazighen!
- Art historian Björn Dahlström, a former director of the Berber Art Museum in Marrakesh, edited the volume Berber Women of Morocco, which was published in conjunction with the 2014/15 exhibition of the same name and shown in Paris, Manama and Rabat.
- From February 2016 to January 2017, the Institut du Monde arabe in Paris exhibited more than 250 pieces of mainly Berber jewelry from Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia from a private collection, titled Des trésors à porter. Bijoux et parures du Maghreb [Treasures to wear. Jewellery and ornaments of the Maghreb].
During the second part of the 20th century, French ethnologists published academic papers and books for the wider public. The French collector and art critic Paul Eudel (in French) (1837-1911) was one of the first authors of art historical descriptions of jewellery in the Maghreb.
Henriette Camps-Fabrer (1928-2015), a French ethnologist who specialized in North African culture, wrote several books about the Berber jewellery of Algeria and the neighbouring Maghreb countries between the 1970s and 1990.
The 2021 book Berber Memories: Women and Jewellery in Morocco presents chapters by Belgian art historian Michel Draguet on the history of the Berbers, as well as on gender-specific cultural traditions of Berber women.
Commenting on the central and gender-specific roles of women as producers of clothing and textiles and as beneficiaries of costumes and jewellery, Becker wrote in her 2006 study, Amazigh Arts in Morocco. Jewellery has a gender, of course [...], by their social and ritual use, these pieces of jewellery go beyond the sole manifestation of the feminine sphere. If they represent the wife, they are also the expression of the meeting, the union and the complementarity of the genders.
Other contemporary aspects of ethnographic studies and the presentation of Berber and other North African material culture in museums relate to questions, how the complex social history and cultural production of Berber or Arabic-speaking people may be understood. In the context of post-colonial studies, authors such as Cynthia Becker and Lisa Bernaseck have stated that the relationships between "individuals, state institutions, academic scholarship and colonial arts policies have shaped our understanding of Berber arts".
Crafting Stunning Silver Bangles from Scratch! 🛠️✨ | Traditional Indian Jewelry Making Tutorial
Popular articles:
tags: #Moroccan
