Large Fibulae with Chain and Chest Ornament – Silver and Enamel – Tiznit, Morocco

Large Fibulae with Chain and Chest Ornament – Silver and Enamel – Tiznit, Morocco

Large pair of fibulae with chain and chest ornament ("tizerzai"). Ida ou Semlal, Anti-Atlas, Tiznit (Tiznet), Morocco, ca. 1909.
Silver, cast, punched, and engraved; silver thread; cloisonné enamel; glass; coins.
Two particularly large fibulae, taking the form of two large triangles with engraved geometric and vegetal patterns, round enamel ornaments, and red glass stones. The two fibulae are connected by a chain consisting of two long, heavy, rectangular links, themselves connected by an egg-like bead known as a tagmout, made of silver and enamel. Together, these elements serve as a chest ornament.
110X21 cm. Good condition.
References: Morocco: Jews and Art in a Muslim Land, item no. 78 (from the Jewish Museum collection, New York); Jewish Life in Morocco, pp. 233-35.

The purpose of the fibulae (known locally as "bzim" or "khellala") is to fasten shawls and sashes around the shoulder. This piece of jewelry, characteristic of North Africa, harkens back to the types of fibulae worn by women of this region back in the days of ancient Greece and Rome. Most often, a pair of fibulae would represent the primary piece of jewelry, especially among village women, and silversmiths invested great effort in adorning these items with the finest of decorative patterns.
The basic structure of the fibula is quite standard; the pin – no more than a large needle – originally a simple needle, quill, or prong holding the various parts of a garment together; the ring, whose job is to hold the needle in place; and the ornament, which may be triangular, round, or elliptical in shape. A decorative chain connects the two pins, and amulet cases or various types of pendants will at times dangle from this chain.
(For more on this subject, see Jewish Life in Morocco, p. 235).