INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.- The Indianapolis Museum of Art presents "The Fabric of Moroccan Life," on view through June 30, 2002. With its Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, rugged Atlas mountains, lush plains and sweeping deserts, Morocco is a land of geographic diversity. It is also a country of cultural diversity, with many traditions blending at this north African crossroads of ancient trading routes. Enriched by centuries of African, Berber, Mediterranean, Muslim and Jewish influences, generations of Moroccan women composed fine embroideries and rugs using intriguing designs and symbols rich with meaning.



The Fabric of Moroccan Life highlights masterworks that reflect the broad range of cultural influences active in Morocco during the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Rich in color, texture and technique, this exhibition is an insightful look at the everyday lives of a complex blend of people.



The kingdom of Morocco is located in the northwestern corner of Africa, separated from the rest of the continent by the Sahara desert. The country's four mountain ranges—the Rif, Middle Atlas, High Atlas and Anti Atlas—run parallel to each other from northeast to southwest and separate two very different climatic areas. One is lush pastureland; the other is the stark desert expanse of the Sahara.



For thousands of years, the mountains have been the domain of the Berbers, Morocco's indigenous population, while the cities have been populated by various waves of conquerors and immigrants from Europe to the Middle East. Consequently, Berber weavings tend to be different than those of the cities, where these influxes—each of which introduced distinct cultural traditions and artistic techniques—made a greater impact on daily life.



All Moroccans, however, were affected to some degree by several significant points in the country's national history. The 7th-century arrival of the Arabs—which introduced Islam to the Berber population—was preceded by a brief period of Roman rule during the first century that converted a segment of the population to Christianity. The 15th-century migration of Muslim and Jewish people from Spain introduced ethnic influences that are recognizable in many Moroccan textiles.



The Fabric of Moroccan Life is divided into two main sections to emphasize the distinctions between the urban and rural arts. Yet regardless of their geographic origin, all the textiles in The Fabric of Moroccan Life reflect a creative tradition passed down orally through generations of Moroccan women.