Textiles

A Mauritanian wowen reed mat from the Sahara Desert and the Sahel. It features a beautiful decoration made of strips of leather forming geometrical patterns. They are commonly used as screens, as a dividers or as a mats. Very decorative and tribal.

A new artisan handmade flatwoven rug or -hanbel- from Morocco. Natural Wool and beautiful black decorative motifs.

Boujad Berber carpets come from the plains east of the imperial city of Marrakech in Morocco. The artisans would travel to the souks of this city to sell their carpets. The better known Berber group inhabiting the area from which these carpets come from are the Beni Moussa. These handmade medium wool pile knotted rugs bear some resemblance to those from the region of Hafouz. They made use a wide variety of colors and loose geometric patterns or play with different shades of the same palette such as red, pink and any other colours. In any event always a pleasure for the senses.

Boujad Berber rugs come from the plains east of the imperial city of Marrakech in Morocco. The artisans would travel to the souks of this city to sell their carpets. The better known Berber group inhabiting the area from which these carpets come from are the Beni Moussa. These handmade medium wool pile knotted rugs bear some resemblance to those from the region of Hafouz. They made use a wide variety of colors and loose geometric patterns or play with different shades of the same palette such as reds, pinks and any other colours. In any event always a pleasure for the senses.

A floor cushion made from selected fragments of an old Moroccan Berber haïk. A -haïk-, -hayk-, -haik- or -tahraoukht-, is an outer garment used by the different Berber tribes as part of their attire. It may come in many sizes and the way to wear it can vary a lot depending on the are and the needs of the wearer, for example, as a cape or as a sort of veil to cover head and face.Filling not included.

A floor cushion made from selected fragments of an old flatwoven rug or -hanbel- from the Moroccan Berber tribe of the Zemmour. The Zemmour inhabit areas of the Middle Atlas mountain range in Morocco. Their flatwoven textiles are among the most reputed ones in Morocco. That is attributable not only to the quality of the materials but also to their skill and the vast variety of horizontal and vertical decorative motifs used. Filling not included.

A floor cushion made from fragments of Boucherouite Moroccan Berber textiles. Boucherouite or Boucherwit textiles are a true aesthetic experience. From the Moroccan arabic - bu sherwit- for pre-used textile remnant or rag ,they are modern abstract pieces of art. The materials used in these hand-made artisan textiles are diverse, new and recycled, from cotton or wool to synthetic fibres. Filling not included.

A new style of flat woven rug inspired in the decorated bands of the traditional - Shadoui - storage bags, using this fine technique and motives through all over the piece. Hand woven in 100% natural wool (beige and black) over a cotton warp, by the skillful hands of Aït Ouaouazguite women in the Sirwa range of the High Atlas. Truly elegant!

A splendid new Beni Ouarain flatwoven natural wool combining wonderful colours beiges and soft grey.

A newly hand-made Berber knotted one hundred per cent undyed wool rug from the tribe of the Beni Ouaraïn inhabiting the Western part of the Moroccan Middle Atlas mountain range. Their long pile and silky touch rugs have become well-known worldwide for the use of the very characteristic so-called -Berber knot- on two or three warp threads, the lovely cream palette of the natural undyed wool used, their usually plain or lozenge-based decoration and their thickness. That latter is no doubt attributable to the fact that it would have served as a mattress for the family to withstand the freezing cold winter nights at the Atlas and then turned over onto the other side during the summer. Black design.

A cushion from the Berber tribe of the Zemmour. The group of the Zemmour inhabits areas of the Middle Atlas mountain range in Morocco. Their textiles are well-known for their quality and design and the richness of their palette. Hand flatwoven -hanbel- in wool and cotton. Beautiful and very decorative.

Filling not included. 

A cushion from the Berber tribe of the Zemmour. The group of the Zemmour inhabits areas of the Middle Atlas mountain range in Morocco. Their textiles are well-known for their quality and design and the richness of their palette. Hand flatwoven -hanbel- in wool and cotton. Beautiful and very decorative.

Filling not included. 

A cushion from the Berber tribe of the Zemmour. The group of the Zemmour inhabits areas of the Middle Atlas mountain range in Morocco. Their textiles are well-known for their quality and design and the richness of their palette. Hand flatwoven -hanbel- in wool and cotton. Beautiful and very decorative.

Filling not included. 

Spectacular flat woven rug or Shadoui from the Jbel Siroua range, in the Moroccan southwest. Made entirely of natural undyed brown and white wool. Originally used as saddlebags or riding blankets by members of the Berber tribe Aït Ouaouazguite.

Among the very characteristic pieces from this group there are this flatwoven striped textiles that in the local Berber dialect are called -lahmal i shadoui-. The weft-twining technique used for the weaving of these wool blankets, though certain examples may mix wool and goat hair for decoration, is called -shadaoui- and it can barely be found anywhere else in Morocco. True ethnic elegance.

Yet another gorgeous example of the creativity and skill of the female weavers of the Jbel Siroua region in southwestern Morocco is this unique piece locally called Shadoui and used as a saddlebag or as a riding blanket. It is made of undyed natural color wool in the range of white to brown and vegetal colored decorated fringes. It combines the flat fabric of the base with the knotting of the horizontal stripes. Authentic collector piece!

The word -suzani- derives from the old persian word for needle so that it may be translated as -needlework-. Suzanis are one of the most attractive traditional crafts from Uzbekistan and they have been highly reputed for centuries. They are used as bed covers, as hangings and even as table covers. This beautiful old handmade example is embroidered on cotton and shows a luxurious floral decoration. A piece that will catch everybody's immediate attention.

The word -suzani- derives from the old persian word for needle so that it may be translated as -needlework-. Suzanis are one of the most attractive traditional crafts from Uzbekistan and they have been highly reputed for centuries. They are used as bed covers, as hangings and even as table covers. This beautiful old handmade example is embroidered on cotton and shows a luxurious floral decoration. A piece that will catch everybody's immediate attention.

The word -suzani- derives from the old persian word for needle so that it may be translated as -needlework-. Suzanis are one of the most attractive traditional crafts from Uzbekistan and they have been highly reputed for centuries. They are used as bed covers, as hangings and even as table covers. This beautiful old handmade example is embroidered on cotton and shows a luxurious floral decoration. A piece that will catch everybody's immediate attention.

Bogolan textiles are amongst the most interesting textiles from Western Africa. Their amazingly avant-garde design should not make us think that we are in front of a recent evolution of African art but we are rather facing an ancient craft. The name would come from the Bambara language and linked to the use quite often of mud in the process of making. The variety of designs is almost endless. It is made from narrow strips of cotton woven by dexterous artisans, which are then sewn together to make larger pieces of cloth. Those are then dyed and decorated in a serie of different stages using natural substances. True pieces of tribal art not to be missed.  

Bogolan textiles are amongst the most interesting textiles from Western Africa. Their amazingly avant-garde design should not make us think that we are in front of a recent evolution of African art but we are rather facing an ancient craft. The name would come from the Bambara language and linked to the use quite often of mud in the process of making. The variety of designs is almost endless. It is made from narrow strips of cotton woven by dexterous artisans, which are then sewn together to make larger pieces of cloth. Those are then dyed and decorated in a serie of different stages using natural substances. True pieces of tribal art not to be missed.  

A floor cushion made from selected fragments of old Berber woven wool Handiras.

A woman's shawl, the -handira- from the High Atlas, though the use of these capes has extended to some areas of the High Atlas as well. It combines handwoven natural undyed wool and cotton. It features very distinctive decorative stripes and long cotton fringes or pile. Distinctive sequins on cotton threads have been added. Nowadays it would be used during special gatherings and festivities where the women, dancing together, make a magical sound by ratling their jewellery and the sequins themselves!. It combines wool and cotton. filling not included.

A lovely cushion made from a fragment of a handiras.  A woman's shawl, the -handira- from the High Atlas, though the use of these capes has extended to some areas of the High Atlas as well. It combines handwoven natural undyed wool and cotton. It features very distinctive decorative stripes and long cotton fringes or pile. Distinctive sequins on cotton threads have been added. Nowadays it would be used during special gatherings and festivities where the women, dancing together, make a magical sound by ratling their jewellery and the sequins themselves!. 

A vintage shawl, cape or -handira- from the Moroccan Berber group of the Marmoucha. Its shows a beautiful striped decoration with a great combination of colors. Handwowen in natural wool. Garments like this one are used not only in festive gatherings but also daily as a garment to withstand the freezing winter temperatures in the Atlas. It is fastened with textile straps or with fibula. 

This captivating example of an old Berber woman's shawl, -takhardit or tahruyt-, from the group of the Aït Atta is likely to be among the most easily recognisable of the garments of that kind worn by the members of this group together with their reputed handiras. The reason for that is probably the appealing colourful and fastastic artisan embroidered decoration usually distributed on both sides of a longitudinal axis or -tananmmast- which constitute yet another wonderful evidence of the awesome and vast Berber iconography. These shalws are equally used as such as wells as to cover the head and tpart of the face and, in case of the Aï Khabbash subgroup of the Aït Atta, are frequently further decorated with pompoms and small sequins.v The large confederation of the Aït Atta inhabits an extense area on the High Atlas from the Draa valley to the Ziz valley. Cotton. Some small tears and old repairs. A superb piece in all senses.

An appealing Berber haïk or shawl from M´Tougha in the Moroccan High Atlas. Handmade. Woven natural undyed wool. The combination of browns and creams as well as the distribution of the stripes are magnificent and grant it an elegant and authentic tribal character. A -haïk-, -hayk-, -haik- or -tahraoukht-, is an outer garment used by the different Berber tribes as part of their attire. It may come in many sizes and the way to wear it can vary a lot depending on the are and the needs of the wearer, for example, as a cape or as a sort of veil to cover head and face. 

A Berber handira or shawl from Kelaa M'Gouna, also known as the Valley of the Roses, in Southern Morocco at the doors of the vast Sahara Desert. Handmade. Woven natural wool. The combination of colors as well as the distribution of the stripes are magnificent and grant it an elegant and authentic tribal character. This kind of pieces is usually used as blankets as well as outer garments.

A Mauritanian wowen reed mat from the Sahara Desert and the Sahel. It features a beautiful decoration made of strips of leather forming geometrical patterns. They are commonly used as screens, as a dividers or as a mats. Very decorative and tribal.

A handmade artisan Azilal Berber flatwoven saddlebag or -tagararth-. Woven in wool and cotton, it combines a traditional stripe background made of cream and brown colour natural undyed wool with beautiful Berber tribal decoration  showing female and masculine symbols as usual in Berber textiles. A superb ethnographic textiles piece.    

A handmade artisan Berber flatwoven wool blanket or -shadoui- from the Berber group of the Aït Ouaouzguite inhabiting the region of the extinct volcano of the Siroua between the Moroccan High and Middle Atlas mountain range. Among the very characteristic pieces from this group there are this flatwoven striped blankets that in the local Berber dialect are called -lahmal i shadoui-. The weft-twining technique used for the weawing of these wool blankets, though certain examples such as those coming from the Aït Ouarda may mix wool and cotton for decoration, is called -shadaoui- and it can barely found anywhere else in Morocco. True ethnic textile treasures. 

Amazing Beni Ouarain rug that combines the natural loop-knotted wool background with the color designs in normal knot using recycled wool as in bucheraouite carpets. The Beni Ouaraïn are a confederation formed by about seventeen Berber groups inhabiting primarily the northeastern part of the Moroccan Middle Atlas mountain range. Among those tribes they may be cited the Aït Jelidassen, the Zerarda, the Aït Assou, the Ahl Telt, the Beni bou Zart or the Imrilen. The quality of the Beni Ouaraïn textiles has been acknowledged admired since long and to that have contributed the dexterity of their artisan weavers (mainly women) and the quality of the wool from a local breed of small sheeps that may still be found in certain areas inhabited by the Beni Ouaraïn. Their rugs use that wool for their warp, weft and knots. Their long pile and silky touch rugs have become well-known worldwide for the use of the very characteristic so-called -Berber knot- on two or three warp threads, the lovely cream palette of the natural undyed wool used and their medium to high thickness. However, as an exception, the expert Gebhart Blazek gives account as to how until relatively recent times the Beni bou Zart where still using the loop-knot for some of their textiles. When decorated they use geometrical patterns that reflect the richness of the Berber iconography and simbology with references to feminine and masculine elements. Beni Ouaraïn rugs are not originally meant for decoration. They would serve as mattresses for the family to withstand the freezing cold winter nights at the Atlas and then, turned over onto the other side, during the summer. Rugs with a strong tribal character and extremely decorative.

From the artisan handknotted rugs woven by the different Berber groups living in the Moroccan Middle Atlas mountains those made by the tribe of the Beni Mguild or Beni M’Guild are, no doubt about it, among the most remarkable and attractive ones. To that contribute the quality of the wool, knotted by means of the so-called Berber knot and, sometimes, the symmetrical knot; the dense decoration that plays not only with the motifs, full of meanings and symbolism, but also with superb contrast of warm colors (brown, camel, gold, red, cream, etc.) without renouncing to brighter ones. The result is what we may define as almost irisdecent extremely lustrous medium pile rugs,elegant, full of character and that, sooner or later, end up becoming the focus of everybody's attention.    

From the artisan handknotted rugs woven by the different Berber groups living in the Moroccan Middle Atlas mountains those made by the tribe of the Beni Mguild or Beni M’Guild are, no doubt about it, among the most remarkable and attractive ones. To that contribute the quality of the wool, knotted by means of the so-called Berber knot and, sometimes, the symmetrical knot; the dense decoration that plays not only with the motifs, full of meanings and symbolism, but also with superb contrast of warm colors (brown, camel, gold, red, cream, etc.) without renouncing to brighter ones. The result is what we may define as almost irisdecent extremely lustrous medium pile rugs,elegant, full of character and that, sooner or later, end up becoming the focus of everybody's attention.    

A floor cushion made from selected fragments of old Berber woven wool blankets from different areas of the Middle Atlas mountain range in Morocco. One and only of its own. Practical and very decorative. Filling not included.

A lovely vintage girl's shawl, cape or -handira- from the Moroccan Berber group of the Marmoucha. Its shows a beatiful striped decoration featuring typical Berber motifs and a great combination of colors. Handwowen in wool and cotton (part if the decoration). Garments like this one are used not only in festive gatherings but also daily as a garment to withstand the freezing winter temperatures in the Atlas. It is fastened with textile straps or with fibula. 

The area where the Marmoucha Berber clan, belonging to the larger Zenata group, is not far from the imperial Moroccan city of Fes in the southern Middle Atlas. The Marmoucha are neighbours of the Beni Ouarain and that is why some of their pieces remind sometimes of the patterns and designs from the latter. Their flatweaves usually are rich in colors and tend to be quite bright and dense. The use of diamond or lozenge strings lattice of narrow black lines circling white squares is a typical old Marmoucha motif. In their knotted rugs they usually use the so-called Berber knot. 

The Beni Ouaraïn form a confederation of about seventeen Berber groups inhabiting the Northeastern part of the Moroccan Middle Atlas mountain range. Among those tribes we find the Aït Jelidassen, the Zerarda, the Aït Assou, the Ahl Telt, the Beni bou Zart or the Imrilen. The quality of the Beni Ouaraïn textiles has been acknowledged and admired since long. To that have contributed the dexterity of their artisan weavers (mainly women) and the quality of the wool from a local breed of small sheeps that may still be found in certain areas inhabited by the Beni Ouaraïn. Their rugs use that wool for their warp, weft and knots. Their medium to long pile and silky touch rugs have become well-known worldwide for the use of the very characteristic so-called -Berber knot- on two or three warp threads, the lovely cream palette of the natural undyed wool used and their medium to high thickness. However, as an exception, the expert Gebhart Blazek gives account as to how until relatively recent times the Beni bou Zart where still using the loop-knot for some of their textiles. When decorated they use geometrical patterns that reflect the richness of the Berber iconography and simbology with references to feminine and masculine elements as well as to protective motifs. Beni Ouaraïn rugs are not originally meant for decoration. They would serve as mattresses for the family to withstand the freezing cold winter nights at the Atlas and then, turned over onto the other side, during the summer. Rugs with a strong tribal character and extremely decorative.

The Beni Ouaraïn form a confederation of about seventeen Berber groups inhabiting the Northeastern part of the Moroccan Middle Atlas mountain range. Among those tribes we find the Aït Jelidassen, the Zerarda, the Aït Assou, the Ahl Telt, the Beni bou Zart or the Imrilen. The quality of the Beni Ouaraïn textiles has been acknowledged and admired since long. To that have contributed the dexterity of their artisan weavers (mainly women) and the quality of the wool from a local breed of small sheeps that may still be found in certain areas inhabited by the Beni Ouaraïn. Their rugs use that wool for their warp, weft and knots. Their medium to long pile and silky touch rugs have become well-known worldwide for the use of the very characteristic so-called -Berber knot- on two or three warp threads, the lovely cream palette of the natural undyed wool used and their medium to high thickness. However, as an exception, the expert Gebhart Blazek gives account as to how until relatively recent times the Beni bou Zart where still using the loop-knot for some of their textiles. When decorated they use geometrical patterns that reflect the richness of the Berber iconography and simbology with references to feminine and masculine elements as well as to protective motifs. Beni Ouaraïn rugs are not originally meant for decoration. They would serve as mattresses for the family to withstand the freezing cold winter nights at the Atlas and then, turned over onto the other side, during the summer. Rugs with a strong tribal character and extremely decorative.

The Beni Ouaraïn form a confederation of about seventeen Berber groups inhabiting the Northeastern part of the Moroccan Middle Atlas mountain range. Among those tribes we find the Aït Jelidassen, the Zerarda, the Aït Assou, the Ahl Telt, the Beni bou Zart or the Imrilen. The quality of the Beni Ouaraïn textiles has been acknowledged and admired since long. To that have contributed the dexterity of their artisan weavers (mainly women) and the quality of the wool from a local breed of small sheeps that may still be found in certain areas inhabited by the Beni Ouaraïn. Their rugs use that wool for their warp, weft and knots. Their medium to long pile and silky touch rugs have become well-known worldwide for the use of the very characteristic so-called -Berber knot- on two or three warp threads, the lovely cream palette of the natural undyed wool used and their medium to high thickness. However, as an exception, the expert Gebhart Blazek gives account as to how until relatively recent times the Beni bou Zart where still using the loop-knot for some of their textiles. When decorated they use geometrical patterns that reflect the richness of the Berber iconography and simbology with references to feminine and masculine elements as well as to protective motifs. Beni Ouaraïn rugs are not originally meant for decoration. They would serve as mattresses for the family to withstand the freezing cold winter nights at the Atlas and then, turned over onto the other side, during the summer. Rugs with a strong tribal character and extremely decorative.