Last month, a friend returned from a work trip to Mauritania and brought back this bracelet as a belated birthday gift. I love it because the design is uniquely North African, and it’s something I likely wouldn’t find outside the region.
Jewelry is one of my favorite things to buy when I travel; I’ve got a silver ring from Bali and a bracelet from Chiang Mai that I wear all the time. But North Africa is completely undiscovered territory. Whenever I get to Morocco (and I will), I imagine I’ll depart with bagfuls of filigreed earrings.
This morning I got a chance to see some stunning jewelry from Morocco, Algeria and Mauritania at the National Museum of African Art’s African Mosaic exhibit, which opened this week. The show includes both modern and traditional art from across the continent, mixing sculptures, paintings, textiles, masks, photos–you name it.
The North African necklaces, earrings and headdresses are particularly interesting because many were made by Jewish artisans, drawing on traditions that migrated from Spain after Jews were expelled in the 15th century.
Let’s just say it’s stuff I wouldn’t mind wearing. For now, I’ve got friends who travel to Mauritania, which suits me fine.
African Mosaic: Celebrating A Decade of Collecting runs through December 2011. Read a related NPR blog here.
