Berber Necklace – Draa Valley, Morocco

Mid 20th century. The necklace is cm. 55,5 long (21.85″); gr. 104,7 (1.95 oz.). N. 6 coins Morocco Empire Cherifien 10 Francs AH1366 (1946); n. 3 coins Morocco Empire Cherifien 1 Franc AH1339 (1920). Orange glass beads. Berbers are the indigenous ethnic group of North Africa. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. The name Berber appeared for the first time after the end of the Roman Empire. Many Berbers call themselves some variant of the word imazighen (singular: Amazigh), possibly meaning “free people” or “free and noble men”. Today, most Berber-speaking people live in Morocco and Algeria.