Mystery box (side)

Boxes of various types can be found within North African tribal jewellery.

The tuareg wear kitab both as necklace pendants and as headdress adornments. These take various forms, and can be ornately etched silver, copper and brass layered in age old techniques using ebony and accacia too in many instances or simple leather or leather over metal!

There are also other varieties: Ida ou Semlal in the Anti Atlas has its own particular style with a brass body covered in part with a fine layer of delicately chased silver.

If you use the search facility on the site and use the word kitab, you will be given a list of examples from different areas which have been discussed on the forum. You may find these posts helpful.

The pieces made in Marrakech can be of a traditional style, or a new variety created by artisans working there, who may have context from piece arriving from further afield. For example, the Antique trade in Marrakech has examples of Naga, Tibetan, Indian, Chinese and African pieces from Sub sahara, all of which are jostling together being offered in truthful terms in many cases, but also as traditional Berber in other cases..such a melting pot of cultural input is bound to give rise to new styles and designs by local jewel manufacturers!

The detective work is great fun!

Yesterday I was working on several recently sourced Berber pieces from the Ouarzazatte region. My 12 year old daughter came to the office and asked to help. I gave her 3 pieces and 3 books, and asked her to tell me where the pieces were from!

She found all 3 with very little help, and we talked about differences and signifigance of 6 coin drops versus 5 on a headdress, she quickly told me she thought it was in relation to the number of points on the moroccan flag star and khamsas!! She said Mum you are like a detective really looking for clues, I can see why you like doing this so much now it's fun..... I'm just a little bit proud of her!!!!!

Warm wishes

S x

Comments

SARAH CORBETT June 19, 2011 at 11:55am

Aha ...here is that shot of the back,

Confirms to my mind that this is a recent piece in the style of kitab boxes. Possibly made in Marrakech. If you notice, there is no wear to the design on the strips at the sides on the back. The proportions are also a little different to older pieces.

Warm wishes

Sarah x
Johanne June 19, 2011 at 6:35pm

Thank you for your educational answer Sarah. You 're right about the wear, I think too it's a new piece, there is no wear to see on the backside. Did or do they wear such pieces in the High Atlas region or more in the Sahara area. On a chord or as a part of headjewellery?
Ethnic Embellishments June 19, 2011 at 6:50pm

Thanks Sarah, that does explain a lot why it's so hard to place!
SARAH CORBETT June 19, 2011 at 10:24pm

Boxes of various types can be found within North African tribal jewellery.

The tuareg wear kitab both as necklace pendants and as headdress adornments. These take various forms, and can be ornately etched silver, copper and brass layered in age old techniques using ebony and accacia too in many instances or simple leather or leather over metal!

There are also other varieties: Ida ou Semlal in the Anti Atlas has its own particular style with a brass body covered in part with a fine layer of delicately chased silver.

If you use the search facility on the site and use the word kitab, you will be given a list of examples from different areas which have been discussed on the forum. You may find these posts helpful.

The pieces made in Marrakech can be of a traditional style, or a new variety created by artisans working there, who may have context from piece arriving from further afield. For example, the Antique trade in Marrakech has examples of Naga, Tibetan, Indian, Chinese and African pieces from Sub sahara, all of which are jostling together being offered in truthful terms in many cases, but also as traditional Berber in other cases..such a melting pot of cultural input is bound to give rise to new styles and designs by local jewel manufacturers!

The detective work is great fun!

Yesterday I was working on several recently sourced Berber pieces from the Ouarzazatte region. My 12 year old daughter came to the office and asked to help. I gave her 3 pieces and 3 books, and asked her to tell me where the pieces were from!

She found all 3 with very little help, and we talked about differences and signifigance of 6 coin drops versus 5 on a headdress, she quickly told me she thought it was in relation to the number of points on the moroccan flag star and khamsas!! She said Mum you are like a detective really looking for clues, I can see why you like doing this so much now it's fun..... I'm just a little bit proud of her!!!!!

Warm wishes

S x

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Mystery box (side)

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