Old Moorish Anklet – KHAL KHAL – West Africa

Mid-20th century. Engraved aluminum.
Dimensions: 10.7 cm wide × 10.0 cm high (4.21″ × 3.94″).
Central talisman: 6.6 cm wide × 6.5 cm high (2.60″ × 2.56″).
Weight: 181.8 g (6.41 oz).

These anklets were worn by Moorish women during the Guedra, a ritual dance of love performed for the benefit of men. The Guedra is a ballet of hands and feet: sometimes the dancer stands, but more often she squats, covered in a black veil that reveals only the intricate movements of her hennaed hands and feet. The henna designs not only draw attention to these gestures but also carry protective significance.

For similar examples and further reading:

• Splendeurs du Maroc, Africa Museum, Tervuren (pp. 334–335)
• Africa Adorned, Angela Fisher (p. 220)
• Ornamenti del corpo – Gioielli di una Collezione, Palazzo Strozzi, Florence (p. 47)
• A World of Bracelets, Anne van Cutsem, Skira (p. 35)

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