Large Islamic Amulet Container (Tcherot or Kitab) with Rare
Neo-Tifinagh Inscription
Tuareg people, southern Morocco, 19th century
length: 17 cm; height: 16 cm
Amulet boxes such as these were worn by Islamic Tuareg men and
women in the northern Sahara. Inside Koranic verses and other
protective amulets were stored. The amulet does not open; the contents
are sealed within.
This piece comprises a hammered tiered silver front plate overlaid with
brass and copper strips, with an iron backing plate. The tiers of the silver
front plate are variously engraved with zigzags, triangles and the like,
motifs that are suggestive of sand dunes and water. The central,
bud-like finial is of silver and two lower finials are encased in copper.
The tcherot is worn from the neck suspended from a cord threaded
through a metal loop that runs the length of the top of the piece.
Amulets are worn because the Tuareg inhabit a world that co-exists with
a powerful spirit wold. The Kel Esuf ('people of the void') are active after
dark. Islamic Jinns (spirits) live in the mountains and in desolated areas.
The evil eye must also be warded off. Tuareg men (and not women)
wear the tagulmust of face-veil over their noses and mouth to prevent
entry by evil spirits.
This example is rare in that it has an inscription in Neo-Tifinagh
(sometimes written as Tifinar), a language used by the Tuareg of
southern Morocco and which is based on ancient Berber. The inscription
is along the top part of the silver front. It reads from left to right and has
the approximate letter equivalents of 'wnksdlmytrgyklyj'. Only since the
1970s have there been efforts to add vowels to tifinagh.
References: Examples of Tcherots are illustrated in: Splendeurs du
Maroc, Musee Royal de l'Afrique Central, Belgium, 1998; Hoek, C. et al,
Ethnic Jewellery from Africa, Asia and Pacific Islands, The Pepin Press,
2004, p. 34; and in Seligman T. and K. Loughran (eds), Art of Being
Tuareg: Sahara Nomads in a Modern World, Cantor Arts Center/UCLA
Fowler Museum, 2006.
Inventory no.: 566
Neo-Tifinagh Inscription
Tuareg people, southern Morocco, 19th century
length: 17 cm; height: 16 cm
Amulet boxes such as these were worn by Islamic Tuareg men and
women in the northern Sahara. Inside Koranic verses and other
protective amulets were stored. The amulet does not open; the contents
are sealed within.
This piece comprises a hammered tiered silver front plate overlaid with
brass and copper strips, with an iron backing plate. The tiers of the silver
front plate are variously engraved with zigzags, triangles and the like,
motifs that are suggestive of sand dunes and water. The central,
bud-like finial is of silver and two lower finials are encased in copper.
The tcherot is worn from the neck suspended from a cord threaded
through a metal loop that runs the length of the top of the piece.
Amulets are worn because the Tuareg inhabit a world that co-exists with
a powerful spirit wold. The Kel Esuf ('people of the void') are active after
dark. Islamic Jinns (spirits) live in the mountains and in desolated areas.
The evil eye must also be warded off. Tuareg men (and not women)
wear the tagulmust of face-veil over their noses and mouth to prevent
entry by evil spirits.
This example is rare in that it has an inscription in Neo-Tifinagh
(sometimes written as Tifinar), a language used by the Tuareg of
southern Morocco and which is based on ancient Berber. The inscription
is along the top part of the silver front. It reads from left to right and has
the approximate letter equivalents of 'wnksdlmytrgyklyj'. Only since the
1970s have there been efforts to add vowels to tifinagh.
References: Examples of Tcherots are illustrated in: Splendeurs du
Maroc, Musee Royal de l'Afrique Central, Belgium, 1998; Hoek, C. et al,
Ethnic Jewellery from Africa, Asia and Pacific Islands, The Pepin Press,
2004, p. 34; and in Seligman T. and K. Loughran (eds), Art of Being
Tuareg: Sahara Nomads in a Modern World, Cantor Arts Center/UCLA
Fowler Museum, 2006.
Inventory no.: 566
Detail of Neo-Tifinagh inscription