Located in the heart of the Medina of Marrakech, the National Museum of Weaving and Carpets Dar Si Said, is a true jewel of Arab Andalusian architecture of nineteenth Century. The residence was built following the order of Said Ben Moussa, Minister of War at that time of Sultan Moulay Abdel Aziz (1894-1908). With an area of 2800 m2, the museum has accumulated since its creation in 1930 a fund of diverse, rich rare and splendid collections and important material of Moroccan culture.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

THE MOROCCAN CARPETS – WITNESS OF A RICH HERITAGE

In Morocco, carpets constitute one of the essential components of cultural heritage. Their production bears witness to the richness and rigor of the Country’s ancestral know-how since the XVIII Century. The most ancient specimen being conserved dates back to 1787 and comes from the region of Chiadma. The importance of the carpets emanates, particularly, from its presence in the daily life of Moroccan families and from the different functions being attributed to it. Therefore, it can serve as a mat, a wall ornament, a cereal bag, a mattress. It also accompanies tents, embellishes, horse saddles etc…It is equally present in zawaya (holy shrines) and mosques, providing the faithful in their daily rituals with praying carpets.

Like any other cultural product, the carpet presents characteristics specific to every region at both the technical and aesthetic levels. In case its making happens nationwide, its typology can be devided into 2 categories: urban carpet and rural carpet. The urban carpet is traditionally woven in Rabat, Casablanca and Mediouna. It is marked by the density of its mat as well as its rich floral decoration. The rural carpet has a tendency to be devided into 2 types, those of the High Atlas and Haouz on the one hand, and those of the Middle Atlas and Oriental Morocco on the other hand. This rural style is known for the dominance of the geometric register with less recourse to anthropomorphic or zoomorphic representations.

CARPETS OF THE MIDDLE ATLAS

The Middle Atlas is a region located between the Rif and the High Atlas. It is one of the largest centers of production of rural carpets grouping together several tribes such as Zemmour, Zayane, Beni Ouarain, Beni Mguild, Beni Sadden, Maemoucha. The carpets of this region are characterized notably by the use of geometric pattern, rectilinear and symmetrical, or human representations observed mainly on Beni Sadden carpets and Marmoucha carpets. In addiction, one can notice the frequent use of white, black, blue and green.

THE ORIENTAL CARPETS

Ulike the other regions of Morocco, the carpets in the Oriental is woven by the man, the “anargam” (embroiderer). The making of the carpet at beni Bou Yahi generally precedes a happy event. The brides, indeed, receive it as a dowry in their trousseau. The carpet of this region has an analogy with that of the Middle Atlas, in its exclusively geometric and slightly asymmetrical composition. One can come accross triangles, squares, rectangles and so on, repeating or alternating either or in lozenge compartments.

CARPETS OF ANTI ATLAS

The carpet of this region is known for its recourse to the rhombic register in various forms. Its structure is based mainly on the symmetry present both at the level of the patterns and at the level of the composition.

CARPETS OF THE HIGH ATLAS

The carpet of the High Atlas is the prerogative of the women of the confederation of Ouaouzguite tribes, located between Ouarzazate and Taznakht. This model is distinguished by high quality wool and natural colors including henna, saffron, madder and indigo, as well as a floral decorative repertoire, geometric or figurative, inspired by the environment and the daily life of the rural women. The chain of the carpet of the High Atlas is characterized by a great fineness. Moreover, its solidity is due to the use of a type of wool with long fibers. It is dyed in several colors on parallel and successive zones while keeping the overall color of the carpet.

CARPETS OF MARRAKECH HAOUZ

The Haouz carpet of Marrakech is woven in the regions of Oulad Ahmar, Oulad Bousbaa, Chiadma or Rehamna and it is characterized by the absence of symmetry and framing. The repertory of patterns of this type of carpet is strongly inspired by flora and traditional tatoo often geometric in nature. These heterogeneous compositions are strewn on the firld of the carpet without a predefined order.

THE URBAN CARPET

The city carpet, whose oldest models date back to the XVIII Century, mainly includes the carpet of Rabat, Mediouna and that of Casablanca which are related. The urban carpet often offers a framing of several bands which have the effect of considerably reducing the always rectangular and stamped firld of an octagonal medal that can be a star, a geometrical figure or a rosette. The presence of a motif in the urban carpet always refers to a symbol or a sign, so the bird in flight is a symbol of a good news, the ear of wheat means a birth and abundance and the horns of a ram signify strenght and virility