Featured Native American or Berber?

Or neither?

This came with the Isleta pot I posted a few days ago and another NA pot. Google image show dishes claiming to be Berber/Moroccan/North African looking the most similar. So similar that it’s hard to imagine this isn’t one and the same. Mine does look like it has some NA motifs though. I think it’s 10-12” in diameter, I forgot to measure. Anyone know what I have?

 

Dunno but a wall hanging so designed to be decorative.

Debora

 

????

not NA that I know of..

 

I mean you could drill holes in or put in a hanger any type of dish you want to right?

 

Right. But can't say I've ever done so.

Debora

 

It's Berber, made in Morocco.

If you want a reference, I'd recommend the book Imazighen. the Vanishing Traditions of Berber Women by Margaret Courtney-Clarke, which has a section on pottery. Berber is often mistaken for Native American, so lots of mistakes occur on the internet. But it's distinctively Berber.

 

A lot of the motifs on Amazigh/Berber pottery are the same as the tattoos Amazigh women (used to) have.
The grandmother of one of my Moroccan friends still had those tattoos, and some younger women are getting them again as part of their Amazigh identity. Some also have them applied with henna, as temporary tattoos.



Some motifs:

Info:
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/04/269903/tradition-amazigh-facial-tattoos

https://mythlok.com/berber-tattoo/

 

That's beautiful, AJ...an' 2 great reference sites. Thanks!

 

Thanks Taupou and AJ!

Thanks! I figured it must be after seeing other similar examples. Nice to know for sure now. I bought it hoping it was NA but hadn’t done any research. The person I bought it from called it NA. I didn’t know either way but figured it was worth a gamble. It’s a neat piece either way. I think I’m in it for about $15, so still a nice score. I’ll look forward to learning a bit about Berber pottery in the future.

Any idea how old it may be? For some reason I’m guessing earlier 20th? Made for tourist trade or Berber usage?

 

She looks pretty sharp with that ink! The teepee looking designs had me wondering a bit. It’s great that younger generations are carrying on a tradition like that. The article will be an interesting read!

 

My guess is early to mid-20th, but Taupou may have to correct me.
I also think yours is from the Rif mountains in the north (facing Spain), but again, Taupou is the expert.

Both.

That is a bargain. I see them regularly in auctions, they go for $100 and more.

 

Well good news! I realized there was an additional piece in the lot. So that will bring my cost average down to closer to $10 for the Berber dish. I did notice the price range would likely be right around what you’ve quoted. That would be great to narrow it down even further to a particular place within their territory.

Actually you may have helped me ID the fourth piece in the lot. The other three were pottery. This last piece is beaded leather, a belt or strap I’d think. It has a similar teepee design to some you’ve posted. I won’t be surprised if it turns in Berber as well. I’ll post later.

 

u better !!