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Comments

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  Suzan Kaplan September 28, 2011 at 6:22am

  The date is 1322 of the hejira, or 1904. Does anybody know what the little flower shape is between the two's? Can you make out the other hallmark?
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  Suzan Kaplan September 29, 2011 at 5:26pm

  Can anybody help me identify the mark on the right side of this foulet khamsa? I'd also like to know what flower shape between the 2's signifies. Thanks!
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  Patricia Deany September 29, 2011 at 5:56pm

  Why is the date in Arabic numerals ( i.e. the numerals which we westerners use) as opposed to the numbers which people who read and write Arabic use ( those are based on Hindi numerals)? I do have some dated pieces as well, but the dates are always written in the Hindi-based system. I am not in any way suggesting that there is any reason to doubt that this is an old piece from 1904, just wondering why they have decided to write the numerals in a way that mainly westerners could read them.
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  Suzan Kaplan September 29, 2011 at 9:40pm

  That is a very good question, Patty, one I hadn't thought about. Looking in David Rouach's "Bijoux Berbere Au Maroc" and Rabat and Goldenberg's "Bijoux du Maroc," I see plenty of drawings of marks with Arabic numbers, so it seems that it was a common practice in Morocco. But why? The French were there since 1830 and in 1904 the French and Spanish had managed to carve Morocco into spheres which by 1912 became protectorates. I don't think the foulet khamsas were made for colonialists or were widely traded (I'm guessing) but the French and Spanish must have some influence at the governmental level. Hopefully somebody here, maybe Sarah or Ayis, knows the answer. Thanks for the great question.