ALGIERS – The Algerian jewel, as well as other elements of the intangible national heritage, denotes exceptional know-how and wealth. A centuries-old heritage, it is the fruit of multiple crosses and influences, which learned hands and defenders of authenticity have been able to preserve from alteration and erasure.
Since February 27, an exhibition entitled “The Algerian jewel: identity and authenticity”, is visible at the Bardo museum in Algiers until the end of April. It shows the main types of traditional jewelry, typical of the different regions of the country, dating back to the 19th and 20th centuries. At the same time, it allows visitors to appreciate the finesse and originality of a heritage that has withstood the vagaries of time and other threats of dispossession.
From the enamelled and coral-embellished Kabyle jewel of the Ath Yanni, to the sober articles chiseled in relief of the Aurès, passing by those of the Saharan Atlas with ornamentations inspired by the local fauna and flora, the panoply of Algerian handicrafts is of an unsurpassed diversity. Of gold, silver or copper, the rich existing collections inform about the passage and the mixing of ancient civilizations on the earth Algeria.
“In the chapter of the Kabyle jewel, we find the technique of cloisonné enamel (cut) which dates back to high antiquity and which existed among the Byzantines,” explains to APS the Curator of the exhibition, Sana Alleg, also in charge of the jewel, pottery and ceramics collection within the said museum.
And to cite, among others, the varieties of fibulae (Idwirren) adorning the ceremonial dresses of Kabyle women, including those enhanced with the decorative technique of pendants: “Geometric shapes like the Omega have existed since the Neolithic period, or even since at least 8000 years before Christ and are also found on pottery items,” she adds.
In the perimeter reserved for silver Chaouis jewelry, there are pectoral necklaces, temple pendants (Lamecharef, Tachouchent or Dlabeche) decorated with glass paste stones, necklaces with several thin chains, belts (Lahzam) of various volumes and symbols, long necklaces (Charka), anklets (Rdif) or tiaras (Ledjbine).
“The decorative motifs are borrowed from nature. We thus find the bustard, the snake, the lizard, the rooster, etc.”, comments Ms. Alleg, noting that “the bracelets are called according to the ornamentation techniques, following the example of +Deg Hdjar+, with reference to the small reliefs characterizing this jewel”.
Another peculiarity observed is the presence of amulet boxes (Harz), hanging from necklaces, of various sizes and used as a talisman against the evil eye, according to local belief. An element, moreover, widely worn for the same purpose by women as well as men from Targuis, in the Great South.
The Curator of the exhibition indicates that, among other accessories accompanying the festive attire of this Berber population, there is a “Chemassa”, a necklace descending to the chin and whose rounded shape recalls the sun. As well as Khelhal Eddah (an ankle brace called a sword in Kabyle), bracelets set with animal motifs, including fish eggs, necklaces with plant motifs, chinstraps with chains, the Khamssa (pendants in the shape of a hand or matches), etc.
“The rest stations of the Saharan Atlas have known several influences and mixing, like those of sub-Saharan Africa, hence the use of precious and semi-precious stones, as well as materials such as leather for making jewelry,” says the curator of heritage, noting that the women of the Sahel, of noble rank, adorn themselves with prestigious jewelry such as the “Khoumeyssa”, a necklace widely covering the bust.
The naili jewel in the spotlight….
Aware of the inestimable value that authentic jewelry represents, the artisan jeweler Belakhadr Chouli devotes an infinite passion for the Naili heritage from which he comes. A native of Djelfa, he has been collecting the oldest and most precious coins for 4 decades, until he can no longer count them. So much so that he holds a “treasure” that he proudly exhibits in various events, driven by the concern to make it known and appreciated by the public.
“I am attached to each of these pieces and I could not give up the oldest of them even at full price! “, he explains, before showing his favorite piece, a necklace with several chains more than a century old, as well as other pieces such as the “Khounag”, a choker necklace with Khamssa pendants, or Taassiba adjusted on the forehead, twisted Khalkhal, Souar (bracelets), etc.
“Even if some pieces are only 30 or 40 years old, their manufacture responds to the same techniques as the oldest,” he explains, specifying that the latter are often the result of multiple mixing which is “a natural phenomenon”. However, curtains models remain “typical to Algeria”, he insists.
This is the case of the typical Tlemcen gold jewel, Echedda, which accompanies the bridal costume classified as a universal heritage of humanity, emphasizes Sofiane Benmansour, a young jeweler who acquired from her father an art bequeathed from generation to generation. Or even pieces of goldsmithery, specific to the art of the step, at the moment of “Messia”, a necklace accompanying the Gandara, a festive dress from Constantinople.
More than just decorative accessories, traditional ceremonial jewelry informs, in its shapes and dimensions, about the marital status of the women who wear them as well as their social rank.
Photos added and translation by hope from APS
