Knotted

The textiles from the different Berber sub-goups of the Aït Ouaouzguite Confederation in the region of the Siroua between the Moroccan High and Anti Atlas mountain ranges, such as the Aït Ouarda, the Aït Tamassine, the Aït Ameur, the Aït Khezama, the Ait Oubial or the Aït Abdallah, are traditionally among the most reputed in Morocco. To that end contribute not only the quality of the materials employed, the dexterity of the artisan weavers but also the originality of the techniques used in their flatwoven textiles such as capes or –akhnif- or bags and shepperd and mount blankets –shadoui-, -l´rhomd- or -adil-. For their knotted piled rugs they commonly use the so-called symmetric knot and local sheep wool. In earliest examples the predominant colours are natural undyed white, cream, brown and black sheep wool. Natural black wool is still very highly esteemed due to the top quality of that wool coming from a local sheep breed and because according to Berber’s beliefs it is very effective to ward off evil eye and other bad influences. In not that old examples the colour palette is wider. As to decorative patterns those are clearly tribal though we can find sometimes some resemblance with those found in city examples from Rabat or Salé. That has very much to do with the old and long-lasting links between the Jewish communities of those cities and Aït Ouaouzguite’s ones. When it comes to flatwoven textiles the degrees of quality, originality and excellency are certainly outstanding, particularly among the Aït Ouarda and the Aït Tamassine, being the combination of white and black stripes of different width  and the use of the –shadaoui- or  weft-twining technique some of the more remarkable features. True pieces of tribal art at its best not to be missed.       

The artisan handmade Azilal knotted rugs are yet another sample of Berber endless creativity. They are mainly woven in the the Moroccan province of Azilal, a mountainous region that lies between the High and Middle Atlas range. Among the Berber groups inhabiting that area we may cite the Aït bou Oulli, the Aït Bouguemez or the Aït Sokhmane. Sheep wool is used for the pile, warp and weft but in the last decades some other materials have been introduced. They are knotted using a symmetrical knot on two warps though sometimes the so-called Berber knot is used as well. The are usually medium-piled. In broad lines three main types of Azilal carpets can be described. The first one is the classical  one. Natural undyed white or cream wool is employed for the backgroung whilst natural undyed brown, black wool or, eventually some other color, is used for the decoration. The second type main characteristic is the deep red wool background where the decoration, either geommetrical or abstract, may show a fairly wide range of colors. This model is found among the Aït Bouzid and some experts see there influences from urban carpets from the city of Rabat. The third model appeared around the mid-1980's and its main feature is the use, together with natural or dyed wool, of a broader range of textile materials such as synthetic dyed yarns, reused fibers, etc. In any case the outcome is always spectacular, and exceedingly decorative.    

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 reds, pinks and any other colours. In any event always a pleasure for the senses.

Who ever said that London was the cradle of the punk movement?. The Valley of the Ourika and its surroundings in Morocco in the very heart of the Atlas mountain range from where this awesome comes could have been very well so. A Berber hand-made knotted wool that shows a boldest use of new and re-used materials where the purest Berber tradition produces a serious piece of art like this. The warps has been made using different materials. The weft combines woven undyed natural wool, knotted undyed natural cream and brown wool brightly coloured threads. True art at its best. Otros names: -boucherouite-. 1980's.