Pair Berber Bracelets – Ait Atta Tribe – Anti Atlas Mountains, Morocco

Early 20th century. Tribal metal. Gr. 552,4 (19.48 oz.); diameter cm. 7,8 (3.07″), inner diameter cm. 6,0 (2.36″).

The Ait Atta are a large Berber tribal confederation of South eastern Morocco. They are divided into “five fifths” (khams khmas), all said to descend from the forty sons of their common ancestor Dadda Atta: these “fifths” are the Ait Ouallal, Ait Ouahlim, Ait Isfoul, Ait Yazza and Ait Ounbgi. They speak Central Atlas Tamazight. The Ait Atta originated as a political entity in the Jbel Saghro region in the 16th century with the founding of their traditional capital Igherm Amazdar.

The Imazighen (singular Amazigh) also known as the Berbers are among the original peoples of North Africa. Their myths. Legends and history span 9,000 years, back to the Proto-Mediterraneans.  They have achieved unity by keeping up their unique language and culture which are, like their land, both African and Mediterranean.