Head Ornament

Description

In contrast with the silver head ornaments of the Imazighen peoples of Algeria and Morocco on display nearby, those of the Tekna and other Hassaniya-speaking peoples are made of finely knotted and twisted horsehair or synthetic hair that is decorated with beads in a variety of materials—ebony, silver, coral, glass, and shell— and semiprecious stones. Such ornaments blend into the hairlike wigs of those who wear them.

Provenance

Unnamed dealer, Tiznit, Morocco, before 2009; sold to Ivo Grammet, Essaouira, Morocco, before 2009 [purchased in Guelmim, Morocco, documentation in curatorial file]; sold to the Art Institute, 2009.

Head Ornament

Tekna

After 1960

Accession Number

201819

Medium

Nylon and polypropylene hair, amber, coral, shell, silver, carnelian, and glass beads

Dimensions

62.3 × 26.7 × 19.1 cm (24 1/2 × 10 1/2 × 7 1/2 in.)

Classification

headdress - misc

Museum

The Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, United States

Credit Line

Alsdorf Foundation - James and Marilynn Alsdorf Acquisition Fund