VINTAGE EGYPTIAN NOMAD AFRICAN

       3 PIECE SIWA OASIS COLLECTION

  AFRICAN MARGUNAH WEDDING BASKET,

TISET PLATE FLAT TRAY BASKET & TASSEL

           NORTH AFRICAN - BERBER

            MUSEUM QUALITY - RARE

                          AFRICAN ART

OVERVIEW

Vintage coiled palm leaf Margunah Wedding Basket, matching Tiset Plate Flat Tray Basket and 34" Tassel - 3 piece Collection attributed to the Siwa Oasis, Egypt, created using techniques and materials of this nomadic Berber tribe.

Embroidery threads are mostly the five ancient Siwan embroidery colors: Orange, yellow, black, green, and red. These colors depict nature, representing the desert sun and the maturing fruit of date palms and olive trees.

These rare and beautiful Siwa Oasis items would make an awesome addition to any tribal art collection!

ITEM DESCRIPTION/DETAILS -

• Vintage Coiled MARGUNAH WEDDING BASKET with attached conical lid, made of plain and colored (dyed) palm leaf, decorated with red leather, multicolored (orange, yellow, green) woolen tufts with  hanging tassels of orange, yellow, green palm fibre. There are decorative tubes of leather below the rim. A twisted palm fibre cord carrying strap is attached to the basket.

      The marriage basket has a woven  

      checkered geometric design pattern with

      repeating lines in soft shades of green,

      orange/red, camel, and natural/creme.

      TYPE of OBJECT - Basket, container

      OBJECT NAME -

      MARGUNAH Wedding/Marriage Basket

      DIMENSIONS (Approximate) -

      10.0" Height (excluding tassels and strap)

      28.0" Height (including tassels and strap)

      7 1/2" Wide (diameter)

      6 1/2" Wide (opening)

      MATERIALS -

      Vegetal Fibers, Worsted Wool, Leather

     

      WEIGHT - 1 lb. 3 1/4 oz.

      AGE - mid-late 20th Century

I found a similar Siwa Oasis Wedding Basket at The British Museum.

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1994-14-1

• TISET, vintage flat plate tray basket of coiled plain and colored (dyed) palm leaves with repeating lines in shades of green, red/pink, yellow/camel and natural/creme in a checkered geometric design pattern radiating from a circle of red leather in the center.  Decorative trimming around the rim.  Fiber hanging loop.  Used for peanuts, chickpeas, sweets and other delicacies.

      TYPE of OBJECT - Basket, container

      OBJECT NAME -

      TISET Palm Leaf Flat Plate Tray Basket

      DIMENSIONS -

      13.5" Wide (diameter)

        1.75" Height

      MATERIALS -

      Vegetal Fibers, Leather

      WEIGHT - 12 7/8 oz.

      AGE - mid-late 20th Century

I found a similar example of a Tiset Plate Basket at The British Museum.

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1991-01-9

• SIWA OASIS TASSEL- PASSEMENTERIE

      Silk or Rayon Plaits and Tassels,  

      Embroidery, Passementerie, decorated

      with Mother of Pearl and blue Buttons and

      2 metal chains with bells.

     TYPE of OBJECT - Textile

     OBJECT NAME - TASSEL

     

     TASSEL COLORS -

     SILK or RAYON -

     Shades of Orange, Red, and Green

     BUTTONS - White, Blue

     DIMENSIONS -

     34" - Total Hanging Length

     MATERIALS-

     Silk or Rayon, mother-of-pearl;  

     passementerie, metal

     TASSEL WT. - 11 oz.

     AGE -  mid 20th century

I found an almost identical Tassel at the

Minneapolis Institute of Art Collection.

https://collections.artsmia.org/art/96162/tassel-siwa-oasis

• CONDITION -

      BASKETS -

      Both baskets are in very good condition   

      with no breaks, and have a tight weave. 

      Exterior colors of the Margunah Wedding

      Basket show fading when compared to

      interior colors.  Top of Tiset basket is

      slightly faded in comparison to bottom of

      basket.

     TASSEL -

      Very Good/Pre-owned/VTG/Used item

      Some knots and loose threads.

BACKGROUND -

Siwa, is located in the heart of the Egyptian Western Desert, not too far from the Libyan border, inhabited by people of Berber origin.

Siwan identity is rather North African than Egyptian. Most Siwans are of Berber origin, their ancestors once having come from the North African coast.

For centuries, the Oasis had been a rather cut-off part of Egypt, with minimal contact with the outside world through caravans, seasonal labor migration, and its function as a stop on the pilgrimage route from Western Africa to Mecca. This seclusion meant that Siwan traditions, arts, and crafts were untouched for many years.  A new road, opened in the mid-1980s, made Siwa more accessible, bringing change to the lifestyle, employment and arts and crafts of the Siwan people. 

There are similarities in motifs, articles of dress, and jewelry between Siwa and other parts of North Africa such as Libya and Tunisia, demonstrating cultural exchange between communities of Berber origins. 

Because of the role of women artisans and creators, Siwa has had colorful and distinctive crafts, including pottery, baskets, silver jewelry, and embroidery.  There were exceptional craftswomen basketmakers so skilled they could make baskets that would

hold water.

NOTE-

Please keep in mind when purchasing handmade  hand-woven items, natural variation in dye color, weave and some asymmetry is to be expected.

Consistent with all VINTAGE items, some wear from age or use is to be expected and should not be regarded as a failure on my part to describe every aspect of wear which may not be mentioned.

Please feel free to contact me with questions or for additional photos.  No returns.

Thanks for looking!