Antique Berber and Moroccan Carpets

Antique Berber and Moroccan Carpets


Antique Berber and Moroccan carpets and textiles have become increasingly rare over the past twenty
years.

Those that remain and are still available to the collector are now being offered online to galleries, interiors designers, private collectors and traders by Yallah Morocco as a selection of the finest traditional pieces. There is a limited supply of these carpets and they are in excellent and authenticated condition
Tribal customs, though disappearing, are kept alive and are still reflected in the brilliant and innovative traditional arts of dyeing and weaving in rural Morocco.

Morocco's rural weaving culture has attracted a great deal of attention from the international art world over the past 20 years. Much of this interest has been generated by a new generation of dealers and collectors who have used their understanding and appreciation of abstract modern art to judge these weavings, thereby gradually replacing the use of fineness, natural dyes and age as indicators of quality.
The minimalist and abstract forms seen in these rural weavings seem to both suggest an affinity with the earliest roots of the pile-weaving as well as represent the contemporary yet authentic creative and archaic spirit of tribal art.
Appreciation of the spontaneous and bold character of Moroccan Berber carpets began in the 1920s and 30s with classical modern architects such as Le Corbusier, Alvar Aalto or Marcel Breuer who integrated them into their interiors and promoted them in important presentations and the interiors shops of the period.

Moroccan weavings can be divided into various categories. The sophisticated Arabic urban tradition has been subject to cultural exchange with the Mediterranean and was greatly influenced by the styles of the Ottoman Empire until the early 20th century. The carpet production of the nomadic Arab tribes is of minor importance, apart from the products of the Haouz region. In the urban embroideries of the 18th and 19th century the influence of the Moorish and Jewish migrants who moved back to Morocco from Spain in the late Middle Ages are still visible.
On the other hand the rural carpets of Morocco have followed regional Berber cultural traditions and appear to have a style that remained independent until the 20th century. And since there was not really a European demand before the 20th century, Moroccan carpets have always been produced mainly for personal needs or an internal market. It is surprising that the influence between the urban centres and the remote Berber regions was relatively small with the exception of the relation between the urban centres of Rabat and Salé to the Jebel Siroua region and parts of the Ait Ouaouzguite confederation. Otherwise only the Oulad bou Sbaa in the south-western part of the Haouz plains seem to have produced carpets orientated on an urban style before the 20th century.

URBAN CARPETS
Unlike in classical eastern carpet-producing countries, it is not known whether urban pile-weaving workshops were established before the 18th century, although Charles Grant Ellis and Jenny Housego suggested that a group of Mamluk carpets may have been manufactured in western North Africa (*1). It is safe to assume that the 18th century urban workshops of Rabat were established to adapt Anatolian examples to the specific demand for long and relatively narrow carpets in Moroccan urban houses for those that could not afford the prestigious but expensive imported pile weaves. Descriptions of an urban household in the kingdom of Fez in a French geographical encyclopaedia (*2) from the early 18th century speak about the floors being covered with carpets from wall to wall but neither describe the carpets themselves nor mention their origin.
The few examples of Rabat carpets we know from before or around 1800 appear related by design to Anatolian village rugs from Melas, Ladik, Mucur and the so called “Transylvanian” carpets from western Anatolia, but combined with regional Moroccan motifs (1 +2). These rugs first show the recognisable Moroccan trait of giving more weight to the borders and less to the main field (3). The colour scheme appears balanced in this period and the colour palette is limited compared to the carpets from later than 1850. Rabat and Médiouna have to be regarded as the main centres of Moroccan urban pile weaving, while Salé is known for a special type of textile consisting of a mixture of pile and flat weave (4).
By the second half of the 19th century the style of Rabat carpets developed towards a “design-overload” and an extremely diverse colour palette.

Morocco Traditional ..Carpets of Morocco

Traditional Carpets of Morocco

Moroccan carpets are famous around the world. In the West, the tightly woven beige Berber rugs are found in most modern homes, schools and offices. Although these rugs are stain resistant their dark flecks of brown and tan do not compare to the thousands of intricate designs and colours of the traditional Berber carpets of Morocco

If you take a stroll through the souk in any tourist town in Morocco, you are likely to be confronted by a half dozen men simultaneously asking if you would like to visit a carpet shop. Upon even tacit acceptance, you will be led into a ground-level showroom or up a narrow, winding staircase to a room with carpets piled from floor to ceiling. You may be shown a traditional wooden loom and offered mint tea before the shopkeeper starts laying out carpets in front of you.

For many tourists, haggling over traditional Moroccan carpets is a memorable experience.

There are two main types of carpets in Morocco: urban carpets and rural carpets. The capital of urban carpet making is Rabat, and you may hear these pile-weave carpets referred to as Rabat carpets. Carpet making in Rabat has been traced back to the 18th century, and the technique for making these carpets has been passed down through the generations. Urban carpets tend to be thicker and have larger borders than rural carpets. Designs consist of geometric patterns, as the majority of Moroccan art conforms to Islamic iconoclasm by avoiding artistic representations of living things.

Throughout Morocco’s rural areas, different Berber tribes continue to pass down tribal carpet weaving traditions. Carpet types differ by region; tribes in colder areas tend to produce thicker pile-weave carpets while tribes in milder areas produce thinner pile-weave carpets and flat-weave carpets.

The thickest carpets and blankets are found in the Middle Atlas Mountains. Carpets from this region can have up to 1.5 inches of pile, although designs on these thicker carpets tend to be simpler. Flat-weave carpets from the Middle Atlas have more intricate designs and a greater variety of colors. These are typically used as floor coverings and blankets. One good place to browse Middle Atlas carpets is in the town of Azrou.

While in the Middle Atlas carpet weaving is a women’s occupation, in eastern Morocco both men and women make carpets. The women make simpler, borderless carpets for home use, while men who become master weavers make complex carpets with thick borders and symmetrical designs. Two other areas where traditional carpet making still thrives is among the Arabized Berber tribes of the Haouz region (between the Middle Atlas and the Atlantic) and among the Ait Ouaouzguite tribal confederation in southern Morocco.

When it comes to buying a carpet, you will want to ask about knot density, the type of dye used and the type of fiber used. Higher quality carpets have a higher number of knots per square meter, are handmade and are constructed from 100 percent wool or 100 percent nylon. Cheaper carpets made of olefin are available, but these carpets are highly flammable (moving a chair across the carpet can create scorch marks), attract more dirt and can turn gray over time. Chemical dyes produce bolder colors but are more likely to fade, while natural dyes produce lighter colors and are less likely to fade over time.

If you are looking to buy a traditional Moroccan carpet, don’t feel pressured to buy right away. Take your time and get prices in several shops before deciding on your final purchase. Some shops will ship the carpet back to your home address for an extra fee. To get the best prices, buy your carpet as close to its source as possible. If you want to make sure less money goes to the middleman and more goes to the women carpet weavers, consider buying at a women’s cooperative.

Traditional Food in Morocco ..Morocco of Culture

Traditional Food in Morocco ..Morocco of Culture
Traditional Food in Morocco


Moroccan cooking is strongly characterized by the subtle blending of spices, and Moroccans expertly use them to enhance, rather than mask, the flavor and fragrance of their dishes. Spices such as cayenne, saffron, chilies, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, cumin, paprika, and black pepper are all commonplace in Morocco, as is a special blend of spices called ras el hanout, translated as "head of the shop," which is usually a mixture of between 10 and 30 different spices. Traditionally the proprietor of each spice shop sold his own unique -- and secret -- ras el hanout recipe. Fresh herbs are also present in Moroccan dishes, particularly garlic, coriander, parsley, and mint, as are fragrant additions such as orange or rose water, olives, and olive oil. Harissa, a fiery paste of garlic, chilies, olive oil, and salt, is often used as a condiment. Above all else, perhaps the defining characteristic of Moroccan cuisine is the blending of savory with sweet, most commonly witnessed by the addition of fruit to meat tagines.

Moroccan food is mostly homegrown, producing a wide range of fruit, vegetables, nuts, and grains, along with large quantities of sheep, cattle, poultry, and seafood. This range of seasonal and mostly organic produce is largely grown and cultivated by small-scale farmers and delivered daily to markets and souks around the country.

Eating in Morocco is a social ritual, and sharing meals at home is fundamental to most Moroccans' way of life. Families take great pride in all aspects of a meal, from purchasing the freshest produce to the preparation, cooking, and display of each dish. Such is the importance of mealtime that many urban families even employ a live-in cook -- sometimes a poorer family relative -- to boost their social standing. Most of the country's maisons d'hôte also employ full-time chefs to entice both residents and nonresidents to their doors. This has resulted in an impressively high number of quality eateries located throughout the country, as well as a new wave of international-Moroccan fusion cuisine.

Food

To get you started, here's a list of common Moroccan food items you'll certainly come across during your travels:

amlou: sweet spread made from almond paste, honey, and argan oil
baghrir: spongelike pancake with little open-air pockets on the top, similar to a large crumpet
brochette: skewered meat grilled over a charcoal fire
couscous: hand-rolled semolina grain steamed until plump and fluffy
harira: soup usually made from vegetable or chicken stock with added chickpea and tomato
kefta: minced lamb or beef generously spiced and either rolled into the shape of a sausage brochette or shaped into meatballs and cooked in a tagine
khalli: poached egg, sometimes cooked and served in a tagine
khübz: circular, flat loaf of bread
mechoui: whole roasted lamb or beef
msemmen: thin, oily, flat bread
pastilla: flaky, phyllo pastry pie with a savory filling of chicken, pigeon, or sometimes seafood, topped with cinnamon or sugar icing
tagine: meat, seafood, and/or vegetable casserole or stew, slowly cooked in a two-piece earthenware cooking vessel with cone-shaped lid
tanjia: earthenware urn stuffed with seasoned meat and slowly cooked in the embers of the local hammam
zaalouk: spiced eggplant dip
Breakfast & Breads -- Morocco's culinary delights begin in the morning. Even the most basic of cafes will usually have an offering of fresh pastries or breads to accompany your coffee, tea, or a freshly squeezed orange juice. Baguettes, croissants, and pain au chocolat are the mainstays of most breakfasts, but you may also encounter Moroccan breads -- best eaten fresh -- such as khübz, msemmen, and baghrir. A personal favorite is a warm baghrir smothered in amlou. If you're staying in one of the country's maisons d'hôte, your breakfast will likely also include a selection of jams, or confitures, yogurt, and fresh fruit, as well as boiled eggs and omelets.

Sandwiches & Snacks -- Snak restaurants can be found all over Morocco, ranging from hole-in-the-wall pavement specials to larger, sit-down establishments. Dishes on offer will range from sandwiches, pizza, and frites (french fries) to chawarma (roasted meat in pita bread) and more substantial dishes such as brochettes. The Moroccan version of a sandwich comes in either a baguette or khübz, and usually involves choosing from a displayed selection of meats, salads, and sauces; ask for plats emporter if you want it as a takeaway. Boiled snails -- not the large French variety but small brown-and-cream banded snails known as babouche -- are commonly sold from street food stalls, and a bowl of snail soup is considered a great restorative. Harira is another soup, and can be eaten on its own or as part of a larger meal. During Ramadan, harira is often drunk at dusk to break the fast. There are many recipes for harira, with the basic stock including chickpea and tomato, bean, and pasta; or chicken and pepper. I recommend a squeeze of lemon to add a little sharpness to the taste.

Salads -- The abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables throughout Morocco -- even out to the edge of the Saharan dunes -- lends itself to a delicious variety of salads. Almost everywhere you will be offered a salade Marocain (finely chopped tomatoes, cucumber, and sometimes green pepper), or at the very least a salade vert of lettuce and tomatoes. Vegetarians will prefer the salad course offered by many fine restaurants called meze. This mélange of small dishes can include spiced eggplant dip called zaalouk, herbed baby potatoes, honeyed carrots, puréed pumpkin with cinnamon, and roasted tomato relish.

Seafood -- Morocco's Atlantic coastline, including the disputed Western Sahara, is a much sought-after fishing ground, and for good reason. The cold, nutrient-rich waters have always provided the country's markets and restaurants with a wide range of fresh seafood year-round. Lately, however, there has been a decline in the daily catch, widely attributed to overfishing. Still, on any given day along the coast, and in the major inland cities thanks to refrigerated transport, you're still likely to be spoiled for choice, with fresh catches of Saint-Pierre (John Dory), dorade (sea bream), merlan (whiting), and sardines. Oualidia's oyster farms ensure a steady domestic supply of the popular mollusk, while crevettes (prawns/shrimps) and homard (lobster) are also regularly featured in menus.

Meat -- Moroccans love their meat, and the concept of vegetarianism causes some looks of confusion among locals, who presume that seafood will still be eaten; hence a vegetarian salad usually comes with tuna. Lamb is favored and enjoyed with couscous, in tagines, skewered over charcoal, braised, boiled, or slow roasted until delectably tender for mechoui. Beef and chicken are more affordable and are also served in a variety of ways, including flame-grilled rotisserie chicken, a popular snak meal.

Couscous -- Originating in either Algeria or Morocco in the 13th century, couscous -- Morocco's national dish -- is a fine semolina grain that is traditionally hand-rolled before being steamed over a simmering stew. Ready when plump and fluffy, the grains are then piled into a large platter or tagine dish, with the stew then heaped on top. It's traditionally served after a tagine or mechoui, and is the crowning dish from which most Moroccans will judge a meal. If you're invited to a Moroccan's home for the traditional Friday midday couscous, be aware that every Moroccan man's wife or mother cooks the best couscous in Morocco, and to state otherwise is comparable to treason.

Pastilla -- Sometimes called bisteeya, this is a sweet and savory pastry consisting of shredded chicken or pigeon mixed with egg and crushed almonds. The mixture is enclosed in a phyllolike pastry called warka, which is topped with cinnamon and sugar icing. Pastilla is considered a delicacy, so some restaurants may not always have it available.

Tagine -- Tagine is a casserole or stew traditionally cooked over a smoldering charcoal fire in a two-piece, cone-shape, earthenware vessel, which is also called a tagine and from where the dish gets its name. Tagines come in many delectable combinations such as beef with prunes, chicken with preserved lemon, and lamb with dates, but can also consist of kefta topped with egg, seafood, or purely vegetables.

Tanjia -- Like tagine, tanjia owes its name to the earthenware vessel in which it is cooked. A classic Marrakchi dish, large cuts of seasoned, spiced beef or lamb are stuffed into the tanjia, which is then tied with paper and string and taken to the local hammam. The hammam's farnatchi -- the man responsible for stoking the furnace -- buries the tanjia vessel in the embers and leaves it to slowly cook for a few hours, after which the meat is tender and ready to eat. This is traditionally a dish made by men for men and is prepared for a bachelor party or all-male gathering.

Desserts & Sweets -- Besides mint tea , dessert will usually consist of sweet Moroccan pastries dripping in honey or dusted in cinnamon and sugar icing. Some top restaurants offer pastilla au lait -- layers of crispy, flaky pastry smothered in sweetened milk and amlou and topped with crushed nuts. Sfenj is a deep-fried Moroccan doughnut, and can be seen threaded six at a time on a piece of bamboo reed or palm frond. Patisseries are everywhere in Morocco -- a legacy left behind by the French -- and the quality of pastries and gâteaux (cakes) is excellent. For something truly Moroccan, try the gazelle horns, which are small, crescent-shaped pastries stuffed with marzipan.

Drink

Beverages -- Night and day, Moroccans are rehydrated by two popular drinks -- freshly squeezed orange juice and mint tea, the national drink. Both can be found in cafes and snak restaurants countrywide, and are an excellent pick-me-up for the overheated traveler.

Moroccan males are especially keen on their coffee, another legacy of the French occupation. No self-respecting Moroccan cafe would dare serve instant coffee, and coffee lovers can find fresh cappuccino, espresso, or coffee with milk just about anywhere at any time.

Water -- Many Western travelers -- especially those from colder climes -- suffer from dehydration during their Moroccan travels. This needn't happen, as cheap bottled water is available everywhere. The best still-water brands are Sidi Ali and Ciel, while Oulmes is the most commonly available sparkling water. Most tap water in Morocco is also drinkable, but it's safer to stick to bottled water.

Beer, Wine & Liquor -- Morocco is by no means a dry country, but drinking in public is still frowned upon and is extremely ignorant if practiced near a mosque. Besides a few select establishments -- mainly in Marrakech -- Moroccan bars, called brasseries, are all-male, smoky drinking dens that are only for the desperately thirsty and are unpleasant for females. Most upscale restaurants, however, will have a liquor license, and should be able to offer beer, if not also wine and spirits. Many tourist hotels will also have an attached bar, although some of them are also the domain of chain-smoking businessmen and prostitutes.

Morocco has three local brands of beer -- Casablanca, Stork, and Flag -- of which the latter is my personal recommendation, while Heineken is the most readily available imported beer. There are also a few surprisingly palatable Moroccan wines available, including an elegant Gris de Guerrouane rosé along with many French brands.

The supermarket chains Acima and Marjane are found in various cities throughout Morocco, have well-stocked liquor stores, and have even been known to stay open for non-Muslims during Ramadan. Other liquor stores can be hard to locate, but you can ask at your hotel. Within most of the country's medinas, the only alcohol to be found will be in select tourist hotels and restaurants.






The cuisine in Morocco is as varied as the country’s landscape, in part due to numerous culinary influences such as Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Senegal, Turkey and the Berbers. Morocco imports very little food, so its Mediterranean spread of fruits and vegetables tend to be locally grown and fresh. Much of the country’s livestock is free range—picture cattle meandering in the mountains and valleys—resulting in fresh, flavorful meat.

Although each region is known for its unique flavors and dishes, meals throughout the country commonly feature meats with veggies and are often spiced with cumin, cinnamon, saffron and paprika. This bouquet of flavors is woven into Morocco’s breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.

Breakfast

Whether you prefer your breakfast big or small, packed with carbs or protein, the variety of Morocco’s traditional breakfast options should leave you feeling satisfied and ready for a full day of exploring.

To start the day with a light meal, stop by a street stall for Moroccan pita bread. Freshly squeezed orange juice is also abundant on the street, but you may want to bring your own cup, since many vendors only quickly rinse their glasses between customers. Other likely finds include seasonal fruit, French pastries (which can come with honey or jam), doughnuts and, of course, coffee and mint tea.

If your body demands something more substantial before venturing out, a sit down meal will likely offer all of the options from the streets plus omelets with a touch of fresh cumin, Moroccan pancakes and perhaps even lamb’s head.

Lunch

Lunch is traditionally the biggest meal of the day (except during Ramadan), typically taking place from noon to 3:00 p.m. or so, followed by a nap. Many places close over the lunch hour (although a lot of venues that cater to tourists stay open), so it may be worthwhile to take your time and opt for a sit down meal. This more formal lunch is generally served over multiple courses, so be prepared to stay for a while.

Salad, accompanied by homemade bread, is the first course in a sit down meal and includes an array of veggies such as tomatoes, onions, green peppers, beets, garlic and eggplant, as well as spices and herbs.

Couscous is a traditional main course. It is often cooked with veggies, nuts and spices and served with meat, such as roasted lamb or chicken cooked with lemon and olives. Morocco is also well known for tagine, a richly flavored stew that is slow-cooked in an earthen pot. There are numerous varieties of tagine, but simply put, this stew typically consists of meats, veggies and sauce, flavored with a combination of Moroccan spices.

Dessert is often served at some point during the meal rather than at the end. With desserts like bastilla (layers of flaky pastry with toasted almonds, cinnamon and cream), gazelle’s horns (a pastry with almond paste, sprinkled with sugar), coconut fudge cakes, almond cookies and orange slices with cinnamon, sampling these goodies while you still have room is absolutely worthwhile. At the end of the meal, you can expect to wind down with a sweetened mint tea.

As with breakfast, your best bet for a quicker, lighter lunch is to pick up something from a street vendor. If you look for a stall with a line of locals, you’re more apt to find a clean place with a reputation for fresh, tasty food.

Kebabs are quite popular in Morocco and easy to grab on the go. They typically include veggies plus chicken, lamb, meatballs (which may be made from beef or lamb) or a mix of meats (which can include kidney, liver and heart). Lamb sausage and pizza are also common finds, and seafood is especially plentiful along the Atlantic coast. If you’re willing to sit down for a moment, consider picking up a stew and pita bread.

Dinner

Starting around 9:00 p.m., dinner is usually a lighter meal eaten at home. Harira is a traditional dinner dish (especially during Ramadan), which is a thick tomato and lentil soup with lamb, chickpeas, noodles, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric and cayenne. Street stalls offer more snack-like evening options like roasted almonds, cumin-spiced hard-boiled eggs and roasted corn. Bocaillos (sandwiches) have become increasingly popular in Morocco. They’re usually made with your choice of meat, seafood or omelet along with veggies.

Shopping Morocco Crafts

Shopping Morocco Crafts

Metalwork craftsman hammering a design in Fez
The medinas of Morocco are hives of traditional industry, where you will see exquisite examples of the country’s flourishing arts and crafts.

Exploring the souks of Fez and Marrakech is like walking down the corridors of time. More is revealed the more you delve, for it is in the hidden fondouks and courtyards off the main drag that traditional crafts and industries thrive in ways that have barely changed since Andalusian refugees introduced them over 1,000 years ago.

Crafts are grouped according to type, with the finer crafts located close to the Great Mosque. Each craft is organised into a guild, with apprentices working under master craftsmen for several years. Only when an apprentice is deemed to have the necessary skills and mental application will the master craftsman declare him fit to work alone. The traditional crafts of Morocco still make the best bargains. Here's our guide to the best souvenirs to bring back from Morocco.

What to buy in Morocco

Carpets

First and most prominent of the handicraft traditions are carpets and rugs, hand-knotted and in some cases, still coloured with vegetable dyes. Designs (apart from the Turkish-inspired patterns of Rabat carpets) are predominantly traditional to Berber tribes. Their colours and symbolic motifs enable experts to pin down not only the area in which a carpet was produced but sometimes the tribe or even family that made it. Top-quality carpets sell for thousands of dirhams; more affordable and easily portable are Berber rugs, kilims or blankets. Try the small country souks around Marrakech.

Edibles – spices, nuts, oils, olives, sweets

Edibles are a popular purchase. As well as spices, nuts, herbs, olives and Moroccan sweets, possible buys include argan oil, produced in the southwest. It is sold, either on its own or mixed with ground almonds (a nut butter called amalou). Because of its high value, it is difficult to guarantee that the oil has not been mixed with olive oil. One way of being sure that the oil you buy is 100 percent pure is to buy from one of the women’s cooperatives organised by the Projet Conservation et Développement de l’Arganeraie, which markets its oil to supermarkets under the name Cooperative Tissaliwine and has the EU-approved certificate of producing an organic product.

Leather

Leather goods are widespread, from unpolished leather bags and belts to distinctive pointed slippers (babouches) and ornate pouffes, studded and dyed. Some leather goods are finished in a style closer to Italian designer luggage. In all cases, price should go hand in hand with quality, so check the hide and workmanship before buying. Printed boxes and bookbindings have become the victims of their imitators and too often look tacky.

Jewellery

Jewellery is available for sale everywhere, although one of the best places to buy it is in Tiznit’s famous silversmiths’ souk and in the souks of Taroudant, Essaouira and Marrakech. Dull silver is the basic material: heavy but beautifully decorated bracelets, delicate filigree rings, chunky necklaces of semi-precious stones (or occasionally of plastic, for the unwary) are most commonly found. Slightly more unusual, and sometimes antique, are decorated daggers, scabbards, or Qur’an boxes, covered with silver-wire decoration. The fastenings are often a weak point. Beware, too, of silver-plating masking what the Moroccans call b’shi-b’shi – meaning rubbish.

Marquetry

Marquetry is another traditional craft: wooden furniture, ornaments, chess sets and small wooden boxes made in cedar, thuya and oak, as well as boxes and mirror frames inlaid with camel bone. Many wooden goods are inlaid with veneers or mother of pearl. Often the quality of finish is less than ideal: hinges are points to watch. The woodworkers’ ateliers at Essaouira are an ideal place to buy (and to watch the manufacturing process).

Metalwork

Metalwork ranges from copper or brass items such as trays with fine, ornate hammered designs (which, along with a small folding wooden stand, make attractive tables) to wrought-iron and pierced copper or brass lanterns, mirror frames and tables with tiny hand-carved zellige-tile inlaid tops. There is also custom-made, contemporary designer furniture which is in good supply in Marrakech’s ironworkers’ souk near Madrassa Ben Youssef.

Pottery

Pottery ranges from the rough earthenware of household pots and crocks to gaudy (and predominantly tourist-orientated) designs and beautiful blue and white, green or coloured ceramics from the main pottery centres of Safi, Fez, Meknes and Salé. Marrakech and Essaouira both have extensive pottery souks. The more refined, detailed (and expensive) pieces usually come from Fez, while Safi is famous for its dark-green-coloured pieces. In Marrakech you can find almost anything, including modern takes on traditional designs.

Perfume

Perfume is loved by Moroccans of both sexes. Western brands are admired, but traditional scents, such as musk, orange flower, patchouli and amber, remain popular and are usually found in pure essential oil form in the spice souks and apothecaries of most medinas. Incense is used in the home on special occasions and for perfuming clothes.

Woodwork

Woodwork such as boxes and turned containers made of thuya, a lavishly grained, aromatic wood that grows only on the the Atlantic Coast, is what Essaouira is famous for. Elaborately painted wood is also a Moroccan tradition: look for ornate painted mirror frames and hanging wall shelves of all sizes.

Morocco crafts..culture of morocco

Morocco's craft culture fuses indigenous Berber traditions with Arab, Jewish, Andalusian, and other European influences (particularly France), and marries local resources -- stone, wood, metal, mineral and clay deposits, and supplies of leather and wool -- with imports such as marble and silk.

Moroccan Caravan is owned by Addi Ouadderrou, Amazigh (Berber) a native of Morocco and based in Somerville/Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The Moroccan Caravan always carries authentic high-quality arts and crafts. We care about our friends and customers, we treat them as if they were part of our family and share with them the warmth of Moroccan hospitality. We want you to get things just like the ones we use in our homes.

Please keep in mind that shopping at Moroccan Caravan means directly helpping Moroccan artists, keeping alive ancient art forms for everyone's enjoyment.

Take advantage of the specials we have offered

We adjust the shipping cost after we receive orders

We adjust so that our customers pay a friendly s/h rate based on zipcodes, especially when multiple items are combined in the same order.

Morocco's craft culture fuses indigenous Berber traditions with Arab, Jewish, Andalusian, and other European influences (particularly France), and marries local resources -- stone, wood, metal, mineral and clay deposits, and supplies of leather and wool -- with imports such as marble and silk.

Technique, passed on through specialist guilds where a master maâlem instructs apprentices and examines their skills, is at the core of Moroccan crafts. An extensive repertoire of designs combines Arabic calligraphy, graceful foliage, and abstract geometry typical of urban design with the sharply stylized birds, animals, zigzags, triangles, and squares of Berber origin. Crafts were officially encouraged during the French protectorate (1912-56) through the research of scholars and teachers and during the reign of King Hassan II (1961-99), who sponsored government handicraft centers and training schemes and employed craftsmen on major projects such as the great mosque in Casablanca.

Foreign investment and the development of tourism are powerful incentives for the survival of these traditional crafts. Owners of hotels, guesthouses, and private homes employ builders, decorators, tile makers, wood and stucco carvers, metalworkers, weavers, and embroiderers to create beautiful and comfortably furnished environments. Meanwhile, souks are full of goods -- ceramics, jewelry, clothes, leather bags, slippers -- to attract tourists, and contemporary Moroccan fashion designers make brilliant use of traditional fabrics and decorative techniques in their collections.

Architecture -- Within the imperial cities of Fes, Marrakech, Meknes, and Rabat, traditional life was based on the medina where houses, souks, and craftsmen's workshops clustered around public buildings such as the mosque, medersa (teaching institution), fondouk (travelers inn), communal fountain, and hammam (bathhouse). The ruler's palace was usually located in a defined space outside the medina.

Buildings conform to a basic square or rectangle with an open court concealed from the outside world by high walls. Columned arcades surround the courts of mosques and medersas, one or two stories of rooms enclose the small courtyard of a dar, and walls frame the garden of a riad.

Beyond the cities, the spectacular kasbahs -- residences of local rulers -- and the ksar -- fortified villages -- also have walls enclosing living and storage areas. Before the advent of concrete, bricks made of clay, gravel, and lime were the main building material, reserving local stone for specific features. Gray stone quarried near the port of Essaouira, for example, was used to build the columns and arcades of warehouses and the frames of doors and windows, carved in intricate designs of foliage, stars, and rosettes. Local marble is used in floors, columns, and fountains in wealthy homes. Brick walls are frequently decorated in the technique of tadelakt, which also gives walls a durable, waterproof, and attractive polished surface. This craft involves several stages, including the application of a plaster of powdered limestone mixed with pigments -- usually yellow, rust, brown, or green -- which are burnished when dry and polished with oily black soap.

Three major crafts decorate and furnish Moroccan buildings: woodwork, carved plaster known locally as geps but also called stucco, and ceramic mosaic tilework called zellij. They are seen at their best in the decoration of the medersas (built in the 14th-16th c.) of Fes, Meknes, and Marrakech, and in the surviving palaces and great houses of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Moroccan interiors are remarkably uncluttered by fittings and furniture. Apart from the arched mihrab niche indicating the direction of prayer toward Mecca, mosques have a minbar, or pulpit, for the preaching of the Friday sermon and a few stands for copies of the Koran, while the medersa only adds a few mats, books, and personal possessions to the students' rooms. Households have little movable furniture except cushions, floor coverings, small tables, and stands, and rooms are multifunctional and easily converted into spaces for dining, sleeping, or entertaining.

Cedar wood from the forests of the Middle Atlas and Rif mountain ranges is used in various woodworking techniques. One of the most beautiful is mashrabiyya, an openwork lattice of small turned pieces of wood joined in patterns of squares, octagons, and stars to form the partitions in the court and rooms of a medersa and in private houses to control the flow of air, filter light, and separate private and public space. In Morocco's medersas, wood was traditionally carved in relief, with bands of religious inscriptions in Arabic, calligraphy in angular Kufic or a flowing cursive script, and panels of spiraling and interlaced foliage mingled with geometric motifs. Wood serves many uses in a household, including kitchen utensils and finely carved tables, shelves, storage chests, jewelry caskets, and containers for ink and cosmetics.

Among the regional variations is the prized marquetry of Essaouira, worked in the root of the thuya tree that grows near town. In specialized workshops, the wood is carved into a range of tables, stands, frames, boxes, and containers that are decorated with marquetry in citron wood, walnut, and ebony, often enriched with inlays of mother-of-pearl and copper and silver wire. Painted wood, known as tazouakt, has mainly survived in the palaces and large private houses, seen in their domed and vaulted ceilings, doors, and shutters.

The technique of carved plaster -- called geps or stucco -- is one of the most difficult to master. The craftsman has to work fast, first spreading a thick layer of wet plaster and then shaping and incising many levels of relief in stages before it dries. The spectacular results can be seen throughout Morocco covering panels, friezes, arches, and vaults.

Deep friezes of brilliantly colored zellij line the lower walls of buildings and column bases with an explosion of radial and interlaced patterns. The craft flourished in Fes using the technology of ceramic glazing.

Ceramics -- Workshops in Fes and the port city of Safi have traditionally produced distinctive ranges of decorative wares using fine red clay. The kilns and workshops of Safi, the most extensive pottery center in Morocco, are outside town. Here the industry was revived in the late 19th century by potters from Fes who were attracted by the quality of the local clay. They also introduced the technique of polychrome decoration, which has simple borders and medallions of geometric motifs painted in blue, green, and yellow on bowls, plates, and vases. Berber pottery, in contrast, uses brown and red clay to make unglazed items that are painted with simple designs in vegetable-based colors of red and yellow.

Clothing -- Moroccan dress requires the crafts of textiles, jewelry, and leather. While European dress is increasingly worn in the cities, it is still possible to see contemporary versions of traditional clothing worn by men and women, purchased ready-made in the local souk or commissioned from a tailor. The basic garment is the jellabah, an ankle-length, loose robe with long straight sleeves and a pointed hood. These are made in fabrics ranging from fine wool (usually worn in the city) to rough, homespun yarn of the rural Berbers, who also wear a large cloak, or burnous. Headdresses range from an embroidered or crocheted skull cap to a red felt fez for formal occasions.

Women's jellabahs are made in a greater range of fabrics, including light-weight cotton, silk, and blends of synthetic fibers. The clothing of Berber women consists of lengths of cloth fastened with silver pins and brooches, cloaks woven with geometric motifs, and elaborately folded headdresses.

Traditional dress is important in marriage rituals, especially in Fes where the bride is robed in layers of garments and wraps of brocaded silk and gold-embroidered velvet. She is then adorned with a gold crown hung with strings of pearls.

Jewelry -- The craft of jewelry is deep-rooted in Moroccan tradition. The skills of Andalusian and Jewish immigrants historically monopolized the workshops of Fes, Marrakech, Essaouira, and Tiznit up until as recently as the middle of the 20th century. Jewelry uses many techniques of casting, engraving, filigree, chasing, and enameling to communicate messages of wealth, status, and identity. City jewelry is usually gold crafted in intricate filigree and often set with pearls, garnets, emeralds, and rubies. Flamboyant Berber jewelry is made of silver and often embellished with coral and amber beads.

Leatherwork -- Tanneries in Fes, Marrakech, and Taroudannt continue the traditional processes of transforming animal skins into soft leather suitable for shoes, bags, cushions, book covers, and more. The main style of shoe for both men and women is flat-soled, heelless slippers called babouches. These are usually made of white, beige, yellow, or red leather and can be decorated with embossed and embroidered patterns. The footwear of Berbers consists of closed leather shoes and boots suitable for rough country terrain.

Metalwork -- The importance of metalwork is best seen in Moroccan architecture and furnishings. Doors studded with iron nails turn on iron hinges and are fitted with iron and bronze knockers. Openwork grills of wrought iron decorate windows and balustrades. The workshops in the souks of Fes, Marrakech, and Taroudannt equip homes with a wealth of objects in copper and brass and teapots of silver and pewter.

Textiles -- Morocco has had a well-deserved reputation for textiles since Roman times, especially for the woven and embroidered fabrics of the Berbers. Today, Berber women continue to weave wool blankets, rugs, cloaks, storage bags, and pillow and cushion covers using natural black, brown, and white yarn (which can also be dyed). By the 16th century, Fes became Morocco's principal center for the weaving of fine wool and silk for both domestic and export markets. Since these times, the city's professional craftsmen have embroidered silk velvet with gold and silver thread using a flat couched stitch to work elaborate flower and foliage designs for luxurious house furnishings, wedding garments, and horse trappings. Many of the embroidered textiles required for a household -- curtains, pillowcases, mattress and bed covers, runners -- have been traditionally made by women. Apart from Fes, Meknes and Rabat are also known for their embroidery work.

GO TO MOROCCO

Many friendly words are exchanged with the tannery workers, proud they are to work here and they're well payed too. "A tannery is a gold mine" goes a saying. The omnipresent malodour of fresh animal skin and dye and urin and pigion droppings (used in the process) though is hard to swallow and written all over some of the workers faces.

You can loose the feel for travelling quickly. That's what I feel these first days after Spain.

Meeting Hasna in TANGER I have difficulties catching the spirit again that prevailed before TARIFA.

Partying in Europe quickly restores the consumer inside, the guy that I was in my life before.

In Spain you can spend as much money in a day as in Africa in a week. And it is enticing to spend. It makes you look rich and beautiful. And most people who come to Tarifa are or pretend to be just that.

I've come for another 3 month, my second half, to Morocco. It takes me a few days to realise not to take it lightly. Like in football, even when you lead after the first half you still can loose the game.....

From Tanger we travel south, down the coast. ASILAH is beautiful, LARACHE a rubbish bin. We travel onwards viaSOUK-EL-ARBA-DU-RHARB to VOLUBILIS, an ancient Roman provincial capital, declared a Unesco world-heritage site just recently.And Hasna and I, still we don't know each other too well, but determined we are to give it a try. I am still not sure she likes her El-Nino T-shirt, I brought from Tarifa.

MOULAY IDRISS just afterwards is an interesting little town pressed against a mountain side. It is the tomb of Moulay Idriss, the holy founder of the first Islamic Kingdom of Morocco, that makes it a centre for Islamic pilgrimage, It is conservative, by nature, its people unfriendly and they regard the strange couple with suspicion. But as I said I am still trying to recapture my feel for country and people.

On 14th of June after MEKNES we reach FES, Hasna's birth place.

Fes, the most complete Islamic town in the world, has much to offer. It virtually sucks me into the medina on all of the 4 days. Endless I can walk around in search for corners noone wants to go.

Hasna on the other side cannot share my interest. Of course not. She has lived here all her life. And the Medina is not the place a modern Fassi would go but for showing it to a tourist or curious relative.

Inside the medina it is the tanneries that I am after. Photographers have got to go for the tanneries.

In the 4 days that I spend here (Hasna leaves earlier for Casablanca to catch up with a few things), I see 4 tanneries, most are smaller then the Tannerie Chouara, which is the one above, which is as well the one I was shown together with Hasna by a small boy on the first day.

The police took the boy away 30 minutes after our visit to the tannery, enforcement of rules to prevent harassment of tourists. I prefer a boy to an official guide who never stops littering you with rubbish stories you're not interested in and who shows you as many carpet shops as possible.

Friday it takes me a great many attempts to find the Chouara Tannery again. In the process I visit a few more, none as exiting and vast. The close to midday shots I do not even want to take as I have intention to come back for a better, earlier light shooting. But then I am taken round the whole thing by a nice chap called Farchardin for 1 Euro and a bottle of water.

Later from 12 onwards the medina starts to shut for the day. People are busy closing their shops and make it in time for the prayer. I listen to the spiritual chants that precede the Friday sermon and watch through the door of the Moulay Idriss Mousoleum from a distance. Next to me a small cat that fell from the roof is dying.

Saturday morning I finally attempt to shooting the tanneries in nice light. Tired after not much sleep (first it is too hot, then there's many midges, best sleep is between 6 and 8, it is too hot afterwards) I get up before 6, easily find my way to the tannery. Where I hang around around 7-ish well before my rendez-vous at 8 with Farchardin.

The offensive smell from the dye is (already) well present and my early morning stomach just cannot take this. Happy to have taken some shots the other day I decide to give it a miss.

The medina still empty these early hours of the day and makes a good alternative target. A bit spooky, the tiny streets with no one around.

Where normally hundreds of chandlers in front of their hole-in-the-wall shops engage you in talk constantly, others and their donkeys rush the merchandises, which ever, from here to there, where busy Fassi shop for their daily needs and manic tourists, who never seem to understand how to dress, follow their guide prevails wide emptiness today. (what an English sentence - I think I keep it that way - you're welcome to correct it)

In CASABLANCA I rejoin with Hasna and spend the weekend. I like Casablanca. It is relaxed. A big town (4.5 Mio) with all the advantages and disadvantages. Its colonial French architecture reminds you a bit of Marseille. I could imagine living here. On the top of being normal Casa offers several kilometres of excellent beach and all the cuisine you (I) want.

I cannot but take Hasna to the Manhattan Club, a formidable French restaurant. Fish and Steak and a bottle of Bordeaux. I have not been to a great restaurant for a while and have not eaten that well in a restaurant for a while.

To sleep we drive the Land Rover onto the beach where we manage to get it stuck. Deflating the tires will have to wait till later.

After Casa the ice is broken. We are back in the travelling business, not just physically.

Monday 20th we again turn south, spend the evening in EL-JADIDA. Hasna prepares an excellent Fish Tagine, well spiced. Elaine an old French/Moroccan born, roughly 70, who joins us for dinner is equally overwhelmed by the "gouts". "Tu ne peut jamais mancher comme-ca dans un restaurant". "You'll never get that in a restaurant.".

SAFI the next day. Fresh Sardines for 5DHs (0.5Euros). We have them grilled on charcoal at a local food stall. Hasna: "La vie est belle en Maroc."

We reach ESSAOUIRA late that day. It is the 21st of June, 2 days before the start of the Gaoua Festival.

23rd of June. It is Festival time. The town's buzzing. The craze, that the Gnaoua music creates in peoples' heads, is toxic, contagious. You cannot escape it in these next 4 days. Concerts from 6 p.m. to sometimes 3 in the morning. I am loving it.

The Gnaoua World Music Festival..

The Gnaoua World Music Festival is a Gnawa music festival held annually in Essaouira, Morocco.
The festival provides a platform for exchanges and a meeting point of music and dialogue between foreign artists and the mystical Gnaoua (also Gnawa) musicians. In this melting-pot of musical fusion, the Gnaoua masters invite players of jazz, pop, rock and contemporary World music to explore new avenues.


This scupture Moroccan delegations greatest interest of researchers in ethnomusicology.
Here is the oldest known sculpture of a maalem gnawa. It dates from the colonial era in Africa. The time when Stanley and Livingstone visited for the first time in Africa!
Unfortunately, I can not read the inscription below the bronze is in very bad condition Colonial in the park of Tervuren in Belgium!


The Gnawa (or Gnaoua, Ghanawa, Ghanawi, Gnawi) people originated from North and West Africa; to be precise the ancient Ghanaian Empire of Ouagadougou (present day Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Burkino Faso and 85% of Mali (pre Gnawi/Mali Wars)).
This name Gnawa is taken from one of the indigenous languages of the Sahara Desert called Tamazight. The phonology of this term according to the grammatical principles of Tamazight is as follows: Gnawi (singular), Gnawa (collective) and Gnawn (plural rarely used).
The Gnawa are an ethnic group whom, with the passing of time became a part of the Sufi order in Morocco. This kingdom bordered Morocco and Algeria's southern borders, and had a 300 year blood war with Morocco, prior to both countries forging a long lasting peace accord (conducted between the Monarchs of both countries alone with a scribe). Evidence of this is found is the tribal oral tradition of both countries (Soussi, Riffi, & Ashanti tribes). The result of which saw unprecedented levels of marriages between the Gnawis (ancient Ghanaians) and Soussis of Morocco. A small percentage of this community (Gnawa/Ghanawa) were given to Morocco's monarch (Mulay: to mean Emperor) as workers as a token and seal of the aforementioned accord. They traveled to Morocco by way of tribal caravans during (and external to) the hours of trade Trans-Saharan 

Come to Morocco and witness the rich culture by participating in Essaouira gnaoua festival. The Essaouira Gnaoua and World Music Festival celebrate the mysterious music of the Gnaouas and other worldwide rhythms. Originating through a cross-pollination of African magic and Islamic rituals, mesmerizing Gnaoua rhythms of drums and other instruments lead performers into a trance-like state. The Essaouira gnaoua festival is held in Essaouira, a picturesque port painted in blue and white that is the ideal resort of which most travelers dream: laid-back and yet vibrant, atmospheric yet relaxing. In this extraordinary melting pot of music, jazz, rock, and world musicians create original fusions on stage and share their musical cultures. Essaouira gnaoua festival performances are in afternoons and evenings, giving you plenty of time to relax and enjoy the idyllic charm of Essaouira by day. It is one of the major festivals in Morocco. Essaouira gnaoua festival performances are known to be one of the best out of the many festivals in Morocco.

Your musical journey at the Essaouira gnaoua festival begins with welcome by your private driver upon your arrival at Marrakech, an ancient city of weathered pink buildings and orange groves at the base of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. Spend the afternoon at the Essaouira gnaoua festival with a private guide as you explore fascinating local souks (markets), ancient palaces, and lush gardens. Be sure to visit the Djemaa el-Fna at the Essaouira gnaoua festival, a carnivalesque public square where water sellers, snake charmers, magicians, and storytellers compete for an audience. Depart in the morning for the seaside town of Essaouira and home to the Essaouira Gnaoua Festival. A former Portuguese settlement in the 18th century, Essaouira overlooks an emerald sea where windsurfers frolic near the fringe of silvery beach and camels ferry passengers across fine sand. Dine at the fish market where you can select your fish to be grilled before your eyes. Explore the old fortress ramparts, browse artisan shops, or dream on the beach. Soak in the atmosphere that has been an inspiration since the 1960s for music legends from the Rolling Stones to Cat Stevens to Jimmy Hendrix, who composed Castles in the Sand on Essaouira's beaches. Today the town continues to lure musicians and artists alike to the sparkling whitewashed fishing village trimmed with the brilliant azure of its skies. Depart at the conclusion of the festival, or extend your visit to discover many more of Morocco's delights.