Old Kiffa Bead from Mauritania

Beadparadise.com

$85.00 
SKU: GTBAFR3475_B
Availability: 1 in stock

This very cool and magical bead was made in Kiffa, Mauritania. It is very old and was made as a female fertility charm, mainly by women artists. Historically, Kiffa beads are very important as its ancient technique (dating to 1000 years ago) made it one of the oldest glass bead-making processes in Africa, which was purely African in origin. This bead is around 200 years old, possibly older; 9mm tall x 11mm diameter. Fabricated to mimic a popular Venetian bead from the 1800s.  For more information check out issue #36 of Ornament Magazine.