Berbers are nomads who are distributed in the deserts of Northern Africa. They arrived  in the year 2000 BC, long before the Arabs had settled there. They were originally called “Amazigh“, which  translates into “free man“.  After the Greeks invaded their land, the term “Berber” was given to them which translates to “non-Greek“.
The Berbers are made up of several different ethnic groups and have endured many invasions from the Romans to the Arabs,  yet they have remained a strong unified force, through their language, traditions and heritage.
Berber women are strong women that we can think of as female rebels who continue to fight the stereotype, which was brought on by the Arab invasion (7th century CE) and the rise of Islam. The identity of a Berber woman is expressed through her artful clothing, which have extraordinary embroidery details. They also wear over- the- top ornate jewelry not only as an artistic expression but to convey a message of strength and symbolize their ethnic identity, which they are determined to preserve for the generations to come.
Berber jewelry from the Northern Sahara including chains, little bells, sleigh bells, coins, beads and huge earrings. 
Berber woman (south of Morocco) wearing a vibrant and colorful garment which was created from the Earth’s natural dyes .
Berber woman of North Africa covered in ornaments, colorful  tassels and bells . 


(photo by Rudolf Lehnert)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                      
-Maie Zoheir
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