Ida ou Nadif
Anti-Atlas Mountains region, Morocco
Akbazi (Shoulder Cloth)
INV-1598
Ida ou Nadif
Anti-Atlas Mountains region, Morocco1930s-40s
Akbazi (Shoulder Cloth)
Ida ou Nadif Anti-Atlas Mountains region, Morocco →Arts of Africaneedlework (visual works)textile
Date
1930s-40s
Medium
Wool, plain weave; appliquéd with nylon machine knitting and wool and rayon felt; embroidered with wool, wax-coated-wool, and rayon in buttonhole, cross, long-armed cross, and stem stitches; back stitch couching; knotted wool and cut fringe
Dimensions
49 × 43.7 cm (19 1/4 × 17 1/4 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Edward E. Ayer Endowment in memory of Charles L. Hutchinson
In the Anti-Atlas region of Morocco, women wore embroidered wool panels like this one layered over their shoulders. The thick fabric protected clothing and jewelry from the oils and henna applied to their hairstyles and braids. Throughout Morocco, embroidery is an intergenerational practice, with skills and symbols passed down from mother to daughter. Specific meanings vary, but designs generally serve as protective talismans or connections to nature.
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