Amazigh
Chenini or Gabès region, southern Tunisia
Bakhnouq (Woman's Shawl)
INV-2739
Amazigh
Chenini or Gabès region, southern Tunisia20th century
Bakhnouq (Woman's Shawl)
Amazigh Chenini or Gabès region, southern Tunisia →textilecostume accessory
Date
20th century
Medium
Weft faced plain weave wool with supplemental weave patterned stripes; cotton and wool supplementary weft and embroidery; two selvedges present
Dimensions
120 × 142 cm (47 1/4 × 55 15/16 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Dr. and Mrs. Magnus P. Urnes Memorial Endowment Fund
Shawls created and worn by women in southern Tunisia for everyday or special occasions share common features and simultaneously highlight how techniques differ across one small area. Many motifs are repeated on creations throughout the region. For example, diamonds, crosses, or triangles may represent the North Star, the center poles of a tent, or an abstracted healing symbol, respectively. The colorfully embroidered designs on this small head shawl distinguishes it from the more formal composition of the larger bakhnouq (cover or shawl) [2025.564]; the rubbed indigo dye on the bakhnouq attests to its use.
Amazigh (singular) or Imazighen (plural), which translate as “free people,” are the preferred terms among the diverse and ancient cultural groups indigenous to North Africa, previously called the Berbers (which translates as “barbarians”).
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