Berber Memories

The Berbers, also known as Amazigh, are an ethnic group indigenous to North and West Africa. For hundreds of years, Berber tribes of Morocco have created intricate jewelry to adorn the bodies of Berber women not merely to aesthetic ends, but to convey information about the positions of women within their tribal worlds, including messages about fertility, wealth, and social hierarchy. This beautifully illustrated book offers a glimpse at objects from a particularly fine collection of Berber jewelry from across Morocco. Most often made of silver, Berber jewelry frequently incorporates coral, turquoise, enamelwork, and glass. The objects featured here include ear and head ornaments as well as traditional tizerais, large, triangular clasps designed to hold garments in place. Berber Memories also offers a brief history of Berber culture, with a focus on ornament in the context of the status of Berber women.