Enquiry about object: 10300
Southern Moroccan Large, Superb Silver Anklet (Khelkhal)
Southern Morocco (Goulmina to Dakhla) & Mauritania late 19th-early 20th century
overall width: 10.2cm, width of flat panel: 5.1cm, length of flat panel: 5.6cm, weight: 400g
Provenance
private collection, London, UK
This is an excellent example of this type of heavy hammered silver anklet, and indeed, is one of the finest we have seen. It is from the Sahara – worn by women in southern Morocco and Mauritania. However, Grammet & de Meersman (1998, p. 335) attribute this specific type to the small town of Foum El Hassan in southern Morocco.
It has a large, rectangular bezel or face engraved with triangular motifs (some of which are also raised), plus there is decoration from the addition of large granulation work, and dark enamelled bands and dots. The bands comprise three silver tubes engraved with geometric bands which terminate with rectangular plaques engraved finely with geometric motifs and then large, silver spherical terminals.
The patterns on the bezel or face are intended to be protective or talismanic. The central diamond with a dot in the middle for example most probably is intended to repel the ‘evil’ eye.
The anklet is in excellent condition, and as mentioned is among the finest of its type that we have seen, published or otherwise.
References
Borel, F., The Splendour of Ethnic Jewelry: From the Colette and Jean-Pierre Ghysels Collection, Thames & Hudson, 1994.
van Cutsem, A., A World of Bracelets: Africa, Asia, Oceania, America, Skira, 2002.
Draguet, M., Berber Memories: Women and Jewellery in Morocco, Mercatorfonds, 2020.
Grammet, I., & M. de Meersman (eds.), Splendeurs du Maroc, Musee Royal de l’Afrique Centrale, 1998.
Hoek, C., et al, Ethnic Jewellery: From Africa, Asia and Pacific Islands, Pepin Press, 2004.
Mourad, K., F. Ramirez & C. Rolot, Arts et Traditions du Maroc, ACR Edition, 1998.
