Protective Manuscript Covers in "Balad Tarāb"
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John A. Shoup [1]
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[1] Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane
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- Localización: Hesperis Tamuda, ISSN 0018-1005, Nº. 55, 3, 2020, págs. 493-513
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
The Ḥassāni Arabs occupy the western part of the Sahara stretching from the Senegal River north to the Anti Atlas in Morocco and from the Atlantic to Tuwāt Oasis in central Algeria and south to Timbuktu on the Niger River. The Ḥassāni Arabs arrived in the region between the 13th and 17th centuries slowly incorporating the peoples already inhabiting the area. Ḥassāni society adopted many of the pre-existing social class distinctions based on Sudanic concepts of purity. Important to the discussion of leather crafts and books is the social class called ma‘alimı̄n or master craftsmen, and more particularly the ma‘allimāt or master craftswomen as fine leather working is a female task. The ma‘alimı̄n and ma‘allimātproduce much of the Ḥassāni material culture from musical performance to everyday objects. There is a gender division in the materials they work in; men work in wood and metals while women work in cloth and leather. Often they are husband and wife and there is a definite cross fertilization of concepts and designs across the media used. Using the most basic and simple tools these craftsmen and women are able to produce exquisite objects for everyday use. Intricate designs are created without benefit of patterns and are said to be the result of the artisan’s “mood” or mizāj. Most of the designs are geometric, but some are representational such as hands, sandals, teapots, camels, and the star and crescent (symbols both of Islam and Ḥassāni identity as they are symbols on the flag of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania). Women use a range of colors; mainly bright and vibrant reds, yellows, and greens. Other colors such as black, blue, and purple are more frequently used to help outline the designs. Techniques employed include painting colors onto leather, cut outs, overlay of leather on mirrors, and stamping.
