An Ait Seghrouchène rug, 1980s – 90s, featuring a large-scale pattern with abstract, drawing-like motifs, notable for its highly distinctive design. Knotted from locally processed wool, the rug has an archaic pile with a slightly deeper beige tone than other white rugs. Its overall composition has a naïve yet appealing quality, displaying playfully simplified patterns that loosely recall those of the Marmoucha, a neighboring tribe to the east, while more distinctly evoking motifs found in women’s tattoos. As this tattooing tradition has largely faded, with most remaining tattoos seen on older women, such visual echoes offer a rare link to a disappearing aspect of Berber cultural expression. 

The AIT SEGHROUCHENE are divided into three geographically separated groups: Ait Seghrouchene d’Imouzzer, Ait Seghrouchene de Sidi Ali and Ait Seghrouchene de Harira. Each of these groups have a distinctive pattern language.