Qur'an Box Pendant

Early 20th century

Ida ou Nadif
Anti-Atlas Mountains region, Morocco
Northern Africa and the Sahel

The Ida Ou Nadif and other Imazighen peoples have developed highly distinctive jewelry styles. These bracelets, earrings, and headband are embellished with patterns in a black metal alloy mixture called niello. The box was designed to hold a copy of the Qu’ran and hang from a chain around a devotee’s neck. Across northern Africa exquisite silver jewelry defines a woman’s wealth and comprises an important part of the wedding gift that a man gives to his fiancée.

Status: On View, Gallery 137
Department: Arts of Africa

Culture: Ida Ou Nadif
Title: Qur'an Box Pendant
Place: Morocco (Object made in)
Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.: 1900–1950
Medium: Brass with silver overlay
Dimensions: 8.9 × 8.9 × 1.6 cm (3 1/2 × 3 1/2 × 3 in.)
Credit Line: Edward E. Ayer Endowment in memory of Charles L. Hutchinson
Reference Number: 2002.275

Fatma ben Houssein ben Ali, southern Anti Atlas Mountains, Morocco, before early/mid-1990s [this and the following according to personal communication from Ivo Grammet dated May 24, 2002 in curatorial file]; by descent to her grandson, El Houssein, Morocco, early/mid-1990s; sold to Ivo Grammet, Essaouri, Morocco and Belgium, 1997; sold to the Art Institute, 2002.

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

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