Moroccan Hirz prayer box amulet pendant coins, African amber and tagmoute beads.

Description

Moroccan Hirz prayer box amulet pendant coins, African amber and tagmoute beads.
Moroccan Hirz prayer box enameled amulet silver pendant with vintage coins, African amber and tagmoute enamel beads handmade Berber necklace.
Beautiful ethnic Moroccan Berber handmade necklace with old vintage hirz pendant enameled with green, blue and orange intricate details.
3 old vintage Moroccan coin charms.
Pendant measures approximately 3.80” including coin charms.
2.15” for hirz and 1.65” for coins. Hirz box does not open.
4 orange enameled tagmoute taghmout Berber amazigh egg beads measuring approximately 26mm.
4 bicone Berber beads measuring approximately 18mm.
Resin old Moroccan handmade amber beads measuring approximately 14mm to 18mm.
Necklace measures 23” in length and has a large Bali style hook clasp closure.
A prayer box pendant, known as a "Hirz" was typically part of a woman's wedding regalia, and the intricate silver techniques were perfected by silver smiths before World War II.  These pendants usually show a fair amount of wear, likely from being a much-loved piece of jewelry.  As such, many of the designs at each end -- along with the silver itself -- have worn down over the decades. Handmade by local Artisans and typically decorated with colorful enamel.
Sometimes referred to as amulet or talisman due to fact that it might have had a prayer put inside of it for protection.
Tagmoute egg is a classic silver enamelled egg bead. These beads were used in necklaces and fibula chains by Berber ladies, the egg of course symbolises fertility and new birth. The yellow and green enamel is made from venetian glass trade beads and is characteristically somewhat rough in execution.
An old Berber silver metal and enamel egg bead (Tagmoute) sourced in Ida ou Semlal in the Western Anti Atlas in Southern Morocco. Among the Berber the egg is a symbol of fertility, as life comes from it. Hand made in the first half of the 20th century, with enameling in blue, yellow and red. This would typically be worn at the center of linked fibulae or on necklaces. The repeated eye design is believed to be a strong protective element for the wearer.
These are Moroccan Taguemout enamel eggs from Taroudant in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. These traditional enameled silver egg shaped beads are worn by women in Southern Morocco symbolizing fertility. As you might imagine they are difficult to make, what a laborious process with each strip of silver alloy applied separately, then the enamel worked in. Hours and hours and hours of back breaking work.
Some of my beads may be Copal resin ("young amber" from Zanzibar) that is formed into beads, some may be a blend of natural and manmade resins, and some may be made from phenolic plastic. Strands of African amber often include a variety of beads with different compositions and ages.
The selection of African "amber" beads includes loose beads and strands of collector beads. It is suggested that very little African "amber" is true Baltic amber. Most is probably made in Europe and carved in Africa. Some may be Copal resin ("young amber" from Zanzibar) that is formed into beads, some may be a blend of natural and manmade resins, and some may be made from phenolic plastic. Strands of African amber often include a variety of beads with different compositions and ages. I make no guarantees about these beads as I pick strands that I consider attractive based on price values and experience. I believe that some of the beads are much older than others.