Moroccan Traditional Handmade Jewelry: 1953

In 1953, the moroccan post under french protectorate issued a set of 3 stamps representing Moroccan traditional handmade jewelry.

Daggers

The first stamp represents daggers from southern Morocco. The daggers’ handles and sheats are often decorated with traditional carvings and sometimes with precious stones.

Moroccan Traditional Handmade Jewelry: 1953 - YT-320 — Daggers from the south of Morocco – 1953 – YT-320

Pectoral

Moroccan Traditional Handmade Jewelry: 1953 - YT-321 — Fibulae and Pectoral from Fez – Handmade Jewelry: 1953 – YT-321

The second stamp represents a pectoral from the city of Fez. Pectoral refers to a jewelry worn on the pictoral muscle, although it is usually worn at the midpoint of the breasts.

Pectoral existed in two forms: one type is attached with a necklace, meant to be suspended from the neck but to lie upon the breast. Another form was attached as a brooch, with, mainly on the chest. The form featured on the stamps is hooked using the fibulae (brooches) to the clothes at the level of the shoulders, allowing the pectoral to lie in the middle of the chest.

Pectorals, with mainly featuring deities were widely spread among rich people in ancient Egypt .

Fibulae

The third stamp represents fibulae from the Anti-Atlas region, mountain region in the south of Morocco. It extends from Agadir on the Atlantic Ocean toward the northeast, to the heights of Ouarzazate and further east to the city of Tafilalt.

Fibulae (singular: fibula) are brooches that are very common in the tradiditional dress in different regions of Morocco. Fibulae are known since the Roman ear as they were widely used by Roman soldiers to hold a cloak or cape in place.

The same type of jewelry can also be found in the Algerian traditional ornement. It was represented on an Algerian stamp from 1972 showing the costume from Kabile region.