Description
The hanukkiah is the eight-branched candelabrum, augmented by an auxiliary light (the shamash), lit progressively over the eight evenings of Hanukkah to commemorate the dedication of the Temple. Back-plate models, known as relief-type lamps, feature a vertical pierced panel behind a row of oil cups or candle sockets, and may be hung on the wall or set on a surface. In Morocco, these lamps are crafted in brass (sometimes bronze), adorned with semicircular or horseshoe arches, rosettes, and floral motifs cut out or engraved with a burin, drawing on a repertoire shared with local goldsmithing. Their artisanal production continued in urban centers such as Fès, Meknès, and Marrakech into the modern era.
