Strand of Berber Amber from Morocco, 22 inches long with 28 beads
Beads are all about 35mm diameter and uniform in rich, dark amber color, but thicknesses of the beads varies from 17-21mm.
Only one available
Highly valued, as it is all over west and north Africa, Amber has a special place in the Berber culture of Morocco's Atlas Mountains, were it is treasured for its beauty and and near-magical medicinal properties. Strands are traditionally given by a man to his wife upon marriage, and worn on special occasions thereafter.
Far less expensive than the antique African Amber from Mali and west Africa, these resin beads also have a greater range of colors, from dark red through to light amber, as well as more varied shapes, and sizes.
They have an individually handmade feel - more as if molded from a soft material than carved from a hard one - and I'm inclined to believe the trader I bought them from, who says that they are locally made. I haven't seen anything quite like them in any of the other amber-loving regions of the world I visit.
Transparency varies from bead to bead, as do shapes, which are generally oblate, but far less uniform, and more "organic" than the African Amber from Mali and most faux versions
Back in the early 1970's when I was last in Morocco I saw Mali style African Amber and some obvious plastic imitations in Berber necklaces, along with some real copal.
The strands I'm offering here seem to be a somewhat more recent iteration of the the flamboyant Berber jewelry that has endured for centuries, and shows no signs of fading away. I hope to learn more when I revisit Morocco this fall.
Large African beads as home decor accents is a trend I'm seeing more and more, and nothing lights up a room like a strand of these snaking across a coffee table or hanging on a wall....add a stack of books about African art, a hammered brass bowl, and maybe a plant...Whatever you do with them enjoy!
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