Frontal Amulet – LEBST – Western Anti Atlas Mountains, Morocco

Early 20th century – Silver, enamel, coral. Gr 25,2 (0.88 oz.); cm. 7,3 high x cm. 4,4 width (2.87″ x 1.73″).

Old Berber Hair Ornaments from Ait Akka Tribe. Exquisite work.

For similar examples see p. 283 of “Splendeurs du Maroc”, Africa Museum Tervuren.

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 Berberappeared 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.