Cape, late 19th century
Amazigh (Berber)expand_more
Brocaded woolexpand_more
The Lotus Stack Textiles Endowmentexpand_more 2018.1.1
Not on Viewexpand_more
In rural Morocco, Amazigh (Berber) and Jewish men both wore this type of cape, which offered multiple layers of protection. Woven of heavy goat wool and hair, it enfolded the wearer in its warmth and shielded him from the elements in the Atlas Mountains. The large orange shape on the back symbolizes a dramatic eye, meant to protect the wearer from the harmful forces of the evil eye. Belief that someone’s malicious glare has the power to cause misfortune or injury is widespread among Mediterranean cultures.
The addition of this iconic hooded cape greatly strengthens the already rich collection of Moroccan textiles at Mia. It is a tour de force of weaving: the remarkable shape of the cape and its eye-shaped motif are produced through a complex technique of manipulating warps and adding wefts in different places.
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