amulets and magic
Foulet khamsa: an amulet from Morocco
Published Dec 25, 2023
This piece is called a foulet khamsa. It’s an ornament from Morocco, and it carries a surprising connection in its name – one that is rarely explicitly addressed. So I’m spilling the beans: what is this jewel, where and how was it worn, and what does it mean?
Foulet khamsa: what is it?
Foulet khamsa, also spelled fult khamsa, is a large pendant with four distinct lobes. You’ll see an example in the image above: click to enlarge it. The ornament is made of two pieces of sheet silver that have been embossed. In the centre is a green glass inset.
Normally, they would be in good silver, but the one I’m showing you here is in low-grade silver. It has been pretty banged up during it’s life: you see the dents, and it has a new loop soldered onto it. This piece has lived for sure!
Foulet khamsa: what does it really mean?
The spelling foulet is in French transliteration, because Morocco has long been colonized by the French. Click here to see how colonization still affects our understanding through things like spelling.
So what is that ‘foulet‘? It’s the Arabic fūl – yes, like the delicious dish fūl. It means ‘fava bean’, and its plural is fūlāt [1]. This piece of jewellery, too, is named after food! Click here to find out more on why that is not crazy – food is often used as metaphor in jewellery. So, foulet khamsa roughly translates to ‘Khamsa of Beans’ or ‘Bean Khamsa‘.
What is the relation between this ornament and a fava bean…? First, the four lobes of the ornament resemble fava beans in their shape. But throughout North Africa, fava beans carry additional significance. They are among the staple foods, but they also are considered to bring good luck. Because of their bright green appearance when they’re fresh, they are associated with growth, fertility, and in particular with produce of the earth. [2] The other image above is indeed of fresh, green fava beans: click to enlarge it and see how juicy these look!
‘Foulet Khamsa means ‘khamsa of beans’ or ‘bean khamsa’ – it’s an extra special khamsa‘
Foulet khamsa: how are they worn?
Pendants like these were worn on a necklace, or suspended from a belt. Eudel attributes this difference in wearing to regional preferences. He notes that women in Marrakech wear the foulet khamsa on their chest, as a necklace. Women in Tanger and more towards the coast, on the other hand, wore it attached to their belt. [3] Von Kemnitz writes that smaller ones were used as pendant, and larger examples as belt ornaments. [4] I think the reality is flexible as always, as there are examples of photographs showing women wearing quite sizeable pieces on a necklace.
Foulet khamsa: who would wear them?
Tanger, where Eudel saw them suspended as a belt ornament, is in the north of Morocco. Apparently the foulet khamsa was worn there in the early 20th century. Later books only refer to the southern part of the Atlantic coast, between roughly Essaouira and Tiznit. [5]
So, this ornament was popular along the coast. It disappeared in the north at some point, but continued to be popular along the southern Atlantic coast. The pieces made in Essaouira are among the finest decorated foulet khamsa in their intricate designs. The foulet khamsa was worn by both Muslim and Jewish women: its use is more regionally defined than by faith. [6]
How is this ornament a khamsa?
And now for the obvious question! Khamsa means ‘five’. This ornament has four lobes. So how is this a khamsa…? The trick is that these are called khamsa because of their entire design.
See that green glass inset in the centre? Together with the four circular details around it, that makes five. [7] Alternatively, if we interpret the lobes as bright green fava beans, the green glass in the center would make that five, too. However, not all foulet khamsa carry green glass: they are known with various other colours of glass, too, as well as semi-precious stones. [7]
It’s not always immediately obvious how the number 5 is worked into jewellery, but once you recognize the pattern, it’s easy to see! Click here to learn how to spot numerology in jewellery.
Foulet khamsa: a layered amulet
Some examples of the foulet khamsa stress this importance through additional hands integrated in their decoration. [9] The ornament pictured above may even have had additional hands, but they are too damaged to be sure. On the individual lobes, you may also find other forms enhancing their power, such as fish or birds. [10] The vegetal motifs on the ornament also reinforce the combination of the power of fava beans and the magic of the number five: a layered, beautiful amulet!
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References
[1] Already noted by Eudel 1906, Dictionnaire des Bijoux, p. 75. He adds that it also is used to indicate the nut in a firearm.
[2] Westermarck 1905, in his article Midsummer Customs in Morocco, mentions the use of fava beans to ensure a good crop in the coming harvest season (p. 36). Edmond Doutté 1909, Magie et Religion de l’Afrique du Nord, shares examples of fava beans used in festivities notably in Algeria.
[3] Eudel 1906, Dictionnaire des Bijoux, p. 75.
[4] Eva-Maria von Kemnitz 2023, Hand of Fatima, Brill Publishers, p. 51.
[5] As defined by Grammet 1998, De Juwelen, in: Magisch Marokko, p. 300. Von Kemnitz 2023, p. 50 also places these in southern coastal towns with Essaouira and Marrakech as its most important production centers. Rabaté & Goldenberg 1999, Bijoux du Maroc, p. 195 also mention the southern towns.
[6] They are for example also featured in A. Muller-Lancet, D. Champault & Y. Fischer (eds), La Vie Juive au Maroc, p. 131.
[7] Rabaté & Goldenberg 1999, Bijoux du Maroc, p. 195 mentions this explanation as well.
[8] Von Kemnitz 2023, Hand of Fatima, p. 49-51 for a description and materials used in the foulet khamsa. Here, only the khamsa in the name is addressed, and the significance of the fava beans left out.
[9] See Grammet 1998, De Juwelen, in: Magisch Marokko, p. 300 & 302 for an example, as well as Von Kemnitz 2023, p. 51.
[10] See Rabaté & Goldenberg 1999, Bijoux du Maroc, p. 197 for examples.
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Sigrid van Roode
Sigrid van Roode is an archeologist, ethnographer and jewellery historian. Her main field of expertise is jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia, as well as archaeological and archaeological revival jewellery. She has authored several books on jewellery. Sigrid has lectured for the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, Turquoise Mountain Jordan, and many others. She provides consultancy and research on jewellery collections for both museums and private collections, teaches courses and curates exhibitions. She is not involved in the business of buying and selling jewellery, and focuses on research, knowledge production, and education only.