Obj. ID: 2965
  Sacred and Ritual  Torah mantle, Tangier (Tanger), 1923

This design of the Torah mantle was typical for the northern coastal region of Morocco (Tétouan and Tangier).

In this region, "what is noteworthy is the preservation of traditional Spanish Jewish costume, especially its typical gold embroidery. This was manifested most fully in the al-kiswa al-kbira... a magnificent gown worn on important occasions by the women of these communities (see, for example, postcards ID 45402 and 45390). The patterns and style of the ornamentation resemble those of Spanish embroidery at the time of the expulsion from Spain and were preserved because Jewish artisans passed them on from father to son. Since these artisans were the same as those who embroidered mantles, there is a close relationship between the ‘grand dress’ and mantles. The cloak of these mantles follows the widening cut of the ‘grand dress’, forming a long trapezoid shape. [...] Unique to the mantle is the central motif embroidered on the back, which is visible to the worshippers only when the Torah scroll is removed from the ark. The earliest major motif in this group is a stylized plant." The plant was probably alluding to the tree of life.  "During the first half of the twentieth century the tree of life motif disappeared, to be replaced by Ashkenazi patterns and dedicatory inscriptions." [Yaniv, 2019, pp. 157-9]

This mantle presents a combination of patterns and styles of Spanish embroidery with modern innovations (embroidered crowns, medallions with inscriptions, etc.) typical since the early 20th century. The design includes the central motif designed as an inscribed medallion shaped by floral motifs; the medallion was topped by a flower stylized as a crown or later a crown. A stylized plant, probably alluding to the tree of life, is placed under the medallion.