#trarza

Trarza: this state survived into a north-west corner of West Africa which had experienced regional boom and bust under the Almoravids, but which had since lapsed into regional obscurity after 1147.

Anklets, Trarza, 1900, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

The Hassaniya (also called Moors or Arabs) are descendants of 16th-century Arab immigrants who intermarried with the indigenous Imazighen (Berbers). Hassaniya jewelry makes a dramatic visual statement that stands in stark contrast to the region’s arid environment. Bracelets and anklets are cast in bold forms. These anklets from Boutilimit, Mauretania, feature large square plates that are delicately etched with meandering motifs. On this pair, each of the anklets has a different, complementary pattern. Alsdorf Foundation - James and Marilynn Alsdorf Acquisition Fund Size: 7 × 6.4 × 11.2 cm (2 3/4 × 2 1/2 × 4 3/4 in.) Medium: Silver and copper alloy

On Witnessing:

I love the The Sun when it rises/appears, because it reminds me of the appearance of pure love without any partnership

And no star is seen when she makes an appearance, either from above or from below 

And so, O Maya, you have appeared in the eye of my heart, and everything other than you has disappeared 

I see you whenever I see other-than-you, because I see you in it, and I don't see other than you whenever I see you

Jewelry Box, Trarza, 1900, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

Jewelry from the Maghreb region in Northern Africa is part of a woman’s dowry but may also be given by a fiancé to his future bride. Embellished with a variety of motifs infused with spiritual presence (baraka), this wooden jewelry box is clad in decorative ironwork and ornamented with brass, copper, and Bakelite, the first plastic made from synthetic components. The painted interior leatherwork is similar to that used for household cushions. Alsdorf Foundation - James and Marilynn Alsdorf Acquisition Fund Size: 23.5 × 53.5 × 29 cm (9 1/4 × 21 × 11 3/8 in.) Medium: Wood, leather, iron, brass, copper, and Bakelite

Anklets, Trarza, 1900, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

The Hassaniya (also called Moors or Arabs) are descendants of 16th-century Arab immigrants who intermarried with the indigenous Imazighen (Berbers). Hassaniya jewelry makes a dramatic visual statement that stands in stark contrast to the region’s arid environment. Bracelets and anklets are cast in bold forms. These anklets from Boutilimit, Mauretania, feature large square plates that are delicately etched with meandering motifs. On this pair, each of the anklets has a different, complementary pattern. Alsdorf Foundation - James and Marilynn Alsdorf Acquisition Fund Size: 7 × 6.4 × 11.2 cm (2 3/4 × 2 1/2 × 4 3/4 in.) Medium: Silver and copper alloy

Jewelry Box, Trarza, 1900, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

Jewelry from the Maghreb region in Northern Africa is part of a woman’s dowry but may also be given by a fiancé to his future bride. Embellished with a variety of motifs infused with spiritual presence (baraka), this wooden jewelry box is clad in decorative ironwork and ornamented with brass, copper, and Bakelite, the first plastic made from synthetic components. The painted interior leatherwork is similar to that used for household cushions. Alsdorf Foundation - James and Marilynn Alsdorf Acquisition Fund Size: 23.5 × 53.5 × 29 cm (9 1/4 × 21 × 11 3/8 in.) Medium: Wood, leather, iron, brass, copper, and Bakelite

Jewelry Box, Trarza, 1900, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

Jewelry from the Maghreb region in Northern Africa is part of a woman’s dowry but may also be given by a fiancé to his future bride. Embellished with a variety of motifs infused with spiritual presence (baraka), this wooden jewelry box is clad in decorative ironwork and ornamented with brass, copper, and Bakelite, the first plastic made from synthetic components. The painted interior leatherwork is similar to that used for household cushions. Alsdorf Foundation - James and Marilynn Alsdorf Acquisition Fund Size: 23.5 × 53.5 × 29 cm (9 1/4 × 21 × 11 3/8 in.) Medium: Wood, leather, iron, brass, copper, and Bakelite

Anklets, Trarza, 1900, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

The Hassaniya (also called Moors or Arabs) are descendants of 16th-century Arab immigrants who intermarried with the indigenous Imazighen (Berbers). Hassaniya jewelry makes a dramatic visual statement that stands in stark contrast to the region’s arid environment. Bracelets and anklets are cast in bold forms. These anklets from Boutilimit, Mauretania, feature large square plates that are delicately etched with meandering motifs. On this pair, each of the anklets has a different, complementary pattern. Alsdorf Foundation - James and Marilynn Alsdorf Acquisition Fund Size: 7 × 6.4 × 11.2 cm (2 3/4 × 2 1/2 × 4 3/4 in.) Medium: Silver and copper alloy