Amazigh/Berber coral and silver necklace, Rif, Marocco

Amazigh/Berber choker, intended as a ceremonial dowry piece, from the Rif region. It has coral and silver coins on silver wire and five silver Koranic boxes (the number five is a magic number and symbolizes the khamsa, believed to ward off evil forces).

Early 20th century.

Dimensions:

Total length: approx. 55 cm
Size of the biggest coral beads: 1,2 – 1,5 cm
width of the central element with coins: 9 cm

Weight: 496 gr

Literature:

“Berber Memoires”, Draguet, Michel, Mercator fonds, Yale, 2021, p 118
“La Culture matérialisée des ethnie de la région de la Volta”, Glar, Wilfried, Autoedition, 2017
“Bijoux du Maroc”, Rabaté, Marie-Rose-Golderberg, André, Editions Eddif, 1999, p. 134
“Arts and crafts of Morocco”, Jereb, James, F, Thames & Hudson, 1995, p. 90

P6744