Oued Zem Moroccan Berber Carpet

Traditionally, Moroccan carpets were made only by women to be used in their own homes, to decorate the floors and to serve as seat covers, bedspreads or blankets during the coldest months. The Moroccan carpets are full of symbolism and often tell the story of the woman who created each piece. Each rug takes about 20-30 days to be woven by hand and the design is always completely original – no two rugs are ever the same.

Handicraft is still very important for Amazigh communities. Generally, while the men work in the mountains or on the farms, the women work in their huts, creating beautiful handmade ceramics or weaving carpets. All the finished products are then taken down to the big cities like Marrakech, where people auction their products to souk owners. The buyers then sell the carpets, ceramics and other pieces in their stores to other locals and tourists. This process provides income to Amazigh villages, and is often their main source of livelihood.

Moroccan Berber rugs represent the most characteristic aspect of the country’s cultural heritage. The soul of the carpet seems to reflect the landscape of the Atlas Mountains. These carpets are like books filled with signs and symbols. One discovers there a universe of thought based on a palette of exuberant colors. These women living in rural villages have appropriated their textile creations as a space of freedom where they have developed a personal creativity and a surprising artistic expression. The carpet becomes essential, it is a link between past and present, between earth and sky. These magnificent carpets could be presented in different art museums

The Moroccan Berber rug “Hanbel” which is equivalent to the Turkish Kilim are short rugs woven by Berber women in rural areas.

The weaving is done on a vertical loom that’s why there are bangs only in one side.

Each tribe has its own patterns, and the know-how has been carefully passed down from mother to daughter for generations.The classic layout, a carpet with its cross in the center aligns its series of Berber traditional patterns is what Oued Zem is all about.