Minneapolis Institute of Art

Belt buckle and anklets

Morocco (Essaouira)

Date

1832

Medium

Silver with gold-plated motifs

Department

Arts of Global Africa

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

In the past, Muslims in Morocco declined to engage in smithing, allowing their Jewish neighbors to take up the trade instead. One of the reasons was the popular belief that working with fire exposed them to the wrath of harmful invisible beings called jinn. For many centuries, Jewish artisans in the coastal town of Essaouira dominated the metalworking industry—this pair of anklets was made there in 1832—though most have since left the country and been replaced by Muslims. Africa

The authoritative record is held by Minneapolis Institute of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.