Object Details
- Label Text
- Women's traditional jewelry from the Drâ Valley of southeastern Morocco is characterized by a profusion of coral, amber, amazonite, carnelian, shell and glass beads. An ensemble generally includes a necklace, a forehead band or frontal, and a pair of hair pendants. Forehead bands are often decorated with large beads arranged in a linear format. Necklaces and hair pendants are usually composed of thick clusters of smaller beads interspersed with selected larger beads, each arrangement a unique reflection of the jeweler's art and a client's personal taste. At times, silver alloy conical ornaments included in the composition were packed with scented resin designed to enhance one's allure in attracting the opposite sex and to serve protective functions. Worn especially for weddings, but for other public gatherings, as well, a woman's beaded jewelry ensemble would have made a dazzling and impressive visual statement. It would have reflected, as well, a woman's status and the prominence of her family, as the highly valued coral used to fashion these works was usually old and reused for many generations. Indeed, women's jewelry from this region functions as portable wealth, as individual beads of coral, amber, and stone can be sold when a family needs money, something that is preferable to parting with an entire piece of jewelry. Jewelry of this quality is rarely worn today and scarce coral and amber beads are increasingly being replaced by glass and plastic imitations.
- Moroccan populations living in the southeast along the Drâ River are often referred to as Draoua peoples. This is a complex population group of multiple ethnic origins--Imazighen (or Berber), Arab and Haratine peoples, the latter long-established in the pre-Sahara oases of this region of northern Africa. The Ait Atta peoples, of Imazighen origin, are one of the larger groups in the region.
- Description
- Pair of hair pendants composed of a cluster of thin tubular reddish-orange coral beads interspersed with smaller black, green and clear glass beads and tiny shells. Four large amber beads ornament the top and middle portion of each of the beaded pendants. Two round black stone or resin beads are placed at the top of each strand. Three conical silver alloy ornaments packed with a black resinous material ornament the lower edge of each pendant; a coin closes the flared opening of two of the conical pendants. A slightly frayed natural fiber, twisted together into a central knot, joins the two pendants and helps attach it to the head of the wearer.
- Provenance
- Ivo Grammet, collected Ternata village, southeastern Morocco, ca. 2000 to 2003
- Content Statement
- As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
- Image Requests
- High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
- Data Source
- National Museum of African Art
- Maker
- Aït Atta artist
- Date
- Early 20th century
- Credit Line
- Purchased with funds provided by the Annie Laurie Aitken Endowment
- Medium
- Silver alloy, glass beads, coral, shell, amber, stone (possibly amazonite and carnelian), fiber
- Dimensions
- L: 54.5 cm (21 7/16 in.)
- Type
- Jewelry
