As a common item of the jewellery of the Berber cultures, its use was widespread among North African tribes.
Its exact form could be different from one tribe to another, but essentially, it consists of a triangle beneath a ring or semicircle and a pin to hold unsewn garments together.
In the Kabylie region of Algeria, the brooch is referred to as an afzim (tafzimt) or abzim (tabzimt), from the Arabic word ibziim (إبزيم), meaning "buckle.
"[5] In Moroccan Arabic, it is known by the name bazima, pronounced bzeema (بزيمة), also from ibziim), khalaala (خلالة) or katfiya (كتفية).
Small brooches were often used in hair braids or as jewelry worn over the forehead.