What jewelry is Morocco known for?
Berber necklaces
One of Morocco’s most emblematic jewelry pieces is the Berber necklaces. These necklaces are perfect for women who like stand-out pieces that add a lot of personality to their jewelry collection. Berber necklaces come in different sizes ranging from massive pieces to daintier ones.
What is Berber jewelry?
With a history that dates back over 9000 years, Morocco’s indigenous people, the Berbers, refer to themselves as the “Amazigh”, meaning “free people” or “noble ones”. Berber jewelry is mostly made of low-purity silver (about 80 percent silver).
What did the Berber use the gold for?
The Berber and the Berber-speaking Tuareg prefer silver jewelry to gold, but the reason has nothing to do with poverty. The Prophet Muhammad disapproved of gold jewelry for men, but—by his example and by instruction—allowed them to wear silver. Gold was allowed as an adornment for women.
What is Berber Amber?
Berber jewelry is quite different from Moroccan urban jewelry. City jewelry has gold components while Berber jewelry has silver and semi precious stones. Old amber beads interspersed with silver beads so that the amber beads don’t get damaged.
What happened to the Berbers?
Berber speakers were forced to retreat to the mountainous regions of Morocco and now live in the Rif, Middle Atlas, High Atlas and Anti Atlas regions. Even today, assimilation and intermarriage continue to occur.
What is Berber coral?
In Berber culture, coral was an esteemed but expensive gemstone, and red cabochons in Berber jewelry such as this are sometimes made of less expensive imitations, such as plastic or opaque glass. Fibula, first half of 20th century. Attributed to Algeria, Kabylie.
Why are Berbers called Berbers?
Name. The term Berber comes from the Greek: βάρβαρος (barbaros pl. βάρβαροι barbaroi) meaning ‘barbarian’. The Romans also used the word to refer to their neighbours to the north, in Germania (roughly the area that is Germany today), as well as to Celts, Iberians, Gauls, Goths, and Thracians.
What are Berbers known for?
Berbers are often portrayed as nomadic people crossing the desert on camels, but most are farmers in the mountains and valleys throughout northern Africa. Some do trade throughout the region. Historically Berber merchants were responsible for transporting goods by camel caravans.
Where did the Berbers originally come from?
The origins of the Berbers are unclear; a number of waves of people, some from Western Europe, some from sub-Saharan Africa, and others from Northeast Africa, eventually settled in North Africa and made up its indigenous population. Berber is a foreign word. The Berbers call themselves Imazighen (men of the land).
Is Amber found in Morocco?
There is a saying in southern Morocco which states that the size of your amber shows the love of your husband. …
What religion are Berbers?
One aspect of life where we do see the strong influence of Arab culture is in the religion of North African Berbers. The Berbers across this region are predominantly Sunni Muslim.
How old are the Berber people in Morocco?
Believe it or not, Berber history goes back to prehistoric times. In fact, Morocco is home to the oldest Homo Sapiens ever found — nearly 300,000 years old! This means that the indigenous people of Morocco have been here for a long, long time.
What kind of jewelry do people in Morocco wear?
Moroccan Jewelry Emblematic Designs. 1 1. Moroccan Berber Necklaces. One of Morocco’s most emblematic jewelry pieces is the Berber necklaces. These necklaces are perfect for women who like 2 2. Moroccan Silver Bracelets. 3 3. Moroccan Hamsa Jewelry.
Where can I see examples of Berber jewelry?
It is possible to see examples of traditional Berber jewelry in the excellent Museums of Berber culture in Agadir and at the Majorelle Gardens, Berber Museum, in Marrakech. A typical silver piece is the ‘fibula’. These are still made today and make unusual gifts as brooches.
Who are the Berbers and what did they do?
Two of the greatest historic Moroccan dynasties, the Almoravids and Almohads, were Islamic Berber dynasties that ruled large parts of Spain and northwest Africa. Over the years, the Amazigh have battled, traded, negotiated, and played host to the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, Spanish, and French.