Old Berber Bracelet – ASBIA’ IQUORAIN – Ait Atta Tribe – Morocco

Early to mid 20th century. Tribal metal gr. 434,7 (17.73 oz.). Diameter cm. 11,2 (3.74″); inner diameter cm. 6,0 (2.24″).

These bracelets, asbia’ iquorain, were originally worn by women of the Ait Atta tribe to defend themselves during raids

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.

For similar examples:

p. 21 of “A World of Bracelets”, by Anne Van Cutsem;

p. 262 of “Africa Adorned”, by Angela Fisher, Collins Harvill;

p. 129 of “Bijoux du Maroc”, by Jacques and Marie-Rose Rabaté, Edisud / Le Fennec.

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