Beni Ouarain rug

What it is

The Beni Ouarain rug is part of the craft heritage of the Middle Atlas.¹ It is woven from pure sheep’s wool in its natural colours, white and black, and decorated with lines and geometric shapes.² Zerbiya (plural zrabi) is the word for a rug in Moroccan Arabic.³

Originally it served as a blanket for the whole family and can be up to seven metres long.⁴ For some years it has been in international demand for interiors.⁵ Rugs and textiles from all regions of Morocco, urban and rural alike, including high-pile rugs, hanbel and blankets, are collected by the Dar Si Saïd National Museum of Weaving and Carpets in Marrakesh.⁶

Where it comes from

The name goes back to the Ait Warayn (Beni Ouarain) tribes in the area around Taza.⁷ A study of the cultural heritage of the province of Taza calls it the province’s well-known rug; according to the study, the tribe consists of 17 fractions, among them Tahala and Beni Jelidassen, and weaving takes place in Tahla, among other places.⁸ The Encyclopédie berbère describes the Ait Jellidasen as a tribe of the Beni Ouarain confederation in the Middle Atlas between the Jbel Bou Iblane and the plain of Guercif, belonging to the territory of Taza at the time of the Protectorate; sheep rearing is their mainstay, combined with farming and seasonal semi-nomadism.⁹

In the Middle Atlas some twenty tribes make rugs, for example the Beni Sadden, Beni Yacoub, Ait Sgougou and Marmoucha, and each has its own weaving technique and ornamentation.¹⁰

History

The rug first became known beyond the region through the decorators of luxury hotels in Fez and Marrakesh and the bazaar traders there.¹¹ People from the area who live elsewhere took it abroad as a souvenir, home decoration and gift.¹²

How it is made

The rug is woven by women, usually at home, although there are now some cooperatives.¹³ A single piece takes between one and three months.¹⁴ A weaver from the village of Al-Onsor near Taza learned to weave as a child and passed it on to her daughter and granddaughters.¹⁵

How to recognise it

The patterns bear names such as taâoullite (spider) or tassiwante (falcon) and are strongly inspired by the weavers’ tattoos.¹⁶ The study of the province of Taza describes the rug as plain and rustic in design.¹⁷