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| Local Name | Hizam, Hizam_squelli; Mdammah, Mdammah_fasiyah |
| Object Category | Accessory |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of object | c. 18th – 19th century |
| Place Of orgin | Morocco |
| Region | Fez |
| Object Range | Morocco, Libya, Tunis, Egypt, Algeria, et al |
| Dimensions | Length: 238 cm Width: 10 cm |
| Materials | Silk Cotton |
| Technique | Woven |
| Color | |
| Motif | Floral Geometric |
| Provenance | Purchased, Hundred & One Antiques, Toronto 2021 |
| Location | The Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative |
| Status | In Storage |
| ZI number | ZI2021.500909 MOROCCO |
Object History
This piece was purchased by Dr. Reem Tariq
Ṭariq: (Arabic; Synonym: tulle_bi_talli
Tūlle_bi_tallī: (French: Tulle – a city in France where fine material for veil was first made; Turkish: tel – wire; Synonym: tariq; talli; badla; khus_dozi ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt. Ṭariq: (Arabic; Synonym: tulle_bi_talli
Tūlle_bi_tallī: (French: Tulle – a city in France where fine material for veil was first made; Turkish: tel – wire; Synonym: tariq; talli; badla; khus_dozi ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.
Object Features
This is a woven silk and cotton waistband (hizam) or (mdammah
Mḍammah: (Arabic) - a belt made of gold or silver worn in Morocco, although it is thought to have only started to be worn since 1910. Originally from Turkey, it likely entered Morocco first through the northern cities as an accessory for wealthy men and knights. Later it became a decoration for women.
While both segments are woven over an ivory silk base with one featuring floral and geometric patterns in orange silk, the other features more fluid floral motifs in a variety of colours – (coral Coral: (Greek: korallion, probably from Hebrew: goral – small pebbles), is a pale to medium shade of pink with orange or peach undertones, resembling the colour of certain species of coral.) pink, lavender, burgundy, (turquoise Turquoise: (French: turquois – present day Türkiye; Synonyms: firuze, pheroza), is a naturally occurring opaque mineral mined in abundance in Khorasan province of Iran and has been used for making dye for centuries. The term is a derivative of the French word for the country Türkiye once called Turkey. ) blue, yellow, white and orange. The segment with orange geometric patterns features densely packed repeats of star and fountain patterns alongside floral and foliage motifs. The more colourful segment, on the other hand, features more fluid and delicate floral patterns.
One of the (warp Warp: One of the two basic components used in weaving which transforms thread or yarns to a piece of fabric. The warp is the set of yarns stretched longitudinally in place on a loom before the weft Weft: one of the two basic components used in weaving that transforms thread or yarns into a piece of fabric. It is the crosswise thread on a loom that is passed over and under the warp threads. is introduced during the weaving process. ) ends has three long braided tassels, two of which are constructed of brown and beige animal hair, and the remaining one is constructed of the loose warp Warp: One of the two basic components used in weaving which transforms thread or yarns to a piece of fabric. The warp is the set of yarns stretched longitudinally in place on a loom before the weft Weft: one of the two basic components used in weaving that transforms thread or yarns into a piece of fabric. It is the crosswise thread on a loom that is passed over and under the warp threads. is introduced during the weaving process. yarns of ivory cotton.
The star patterns depicted on the hizam suggest that it could have been a part of a Muslim or Sephardic Jewish bridal trousseau. While the star pattern resembles the (Star_of_Bethlehem), the arms of the smaller star within the larger one are similar to the Islamic star often depicted in geometric lattice work in Islamic architecture. Also, interestingly, the base of the fountain pattern that hangs like a lantern resembles the (Khamsah
Khamsah: (Arabic: Five; Synonym: Hamsa; Hand_of_Fatima), a symbol of protection and good luck in various Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cultures, featuring an open palm with an eye in the center. An amulet motif believed to ward off evil its ancient origins date back to Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Greek cultures. Hand_of_Fatimah: (Arabic: Fatima – Prophet’s daughter; Synonym: Hamsa; Khamsa), a symbol of protection and good luck in various Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cultures, featuring an open palm with an eye in the center. An amulet motif believed to ward off evil its ancient origins date back to Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Greek cultures.
It was customary for brides as well as grooms of both Jewish and Islamic faith all over Morocco to wear wide stiff silk woven often brocade
Brocade: (Italian: brocco – twisted thread), is a richly decorative fabric woven with an intricate raised pattern. Its origins can be traced back to ancient China, where it was made for the imperial court. It later spread to Europe during the Renaissance and became popular in couture and decorative arts. , waistbands such as these. While the women’s waistband was known as (hizam_squelli
Hizām_squellī: (Arabic: Hizām; Italian: Sicily – an Italian Island), a wide waistband traditionally worn in Morocco by women and sometimes men woven in silk and metal thread often silver that was once imported from the Italian island of Sicily. The term ‘squelli’ is an Arabic derivative of the name of the island. Hizām_nimrī: (Arabic: Hizām), a wide waistband traditionally worn in Morocco by men woven in silk similar but not synonymous to hizām_squelli. Fez: (Ottoman Turkish: fes boyası - madder
Madder: (Latin: Rubia tinctorum – Eurasian herb), rose madder, common madder or dyer's madder is a vegetable dye made from the roots of a perennial plant belonging to the bedstraw and coffee family. It has been used extensively as a vegetable red dye across the globe from India to England. Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations. Hizām_squellī: (Arabic: Hizām; Italian: Sicily – an Italian Island), a wide waistband traditionally worn in Morocco by women and sometimes men woven in silk and metal thread often silver that was once imported from the Italian island of Sicily. The term ‘squelli’ is an Arabic derivative of the name of the island. Hizām_nimrī: (Arabic: Hizām), a wide waistband traditionally worn in Morocco by men woven in silk similar but not synonymous to hizām_squelli. Mḍammah_fāsīyah: (Arabic: Fez – a city in Morocco), traditional leather waistband or girdle worn by men and women, often embellished with gold originating in the Moroccan city of Fez.
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