Two amulet pendants of the type known as "Foulet (or Fult; from Arabic, "pea") Hamsa." Morocco, [early decades of 20th century].
Silver (marked), repoussé, punched and stamped; glass beads.
1. Front adorned with glass beads in different colors. [ca. 1920s-1930s]. 11.5X9.5 cm. Good condition.
2. Front adorned with dark red glass bead. 9.5X8.5 cm. Good condition.
This stylized form of hamsa – at times referred to as "louha" – involves attaching two silver plates to each other, back to back. The jewel resembles four petals in shape, and is reminiscent of the Islamic gardens – an integral part of royal architecture in their day – which were divided up into four equal sectors corresponding to the four corners of the universe. Such gardens served as an imagined representation of heavenly paradise. Most of the known Foulet pendants were created in the years 1907-27, becoming popular among the women of Essaouira (Mogodur) and Marrakesh, who wore them over their chests, unlike the women of Fez, who suspended them from their belts.
Reference: Bijoux du Maroc (1999), pp. 195-97; Jewish Life in Morocco, p. 131; In All Their Finery: Jewels from the Jewish World, item no. 28.