Antique Tuareg Currency Manilla, North/ West Africa (3149)

Description

Historically nomadic tribal peoples who traversed the Sahel region and Saharan Africa, for centuries the Tuareg created  arm and ankle bracelets as symbols of wealth and status; fashion adornments;  ceremonial pieces and as a medium of exchange. They larger ones were easily portable wealth for nomadic populations. Various Tuareg group used unique symbols and decorative motifs passed down for generations. Dassine Oult-Yemma, the Poet of the Ahaggar, explained that sticks indicate legs of men, camels and other animals, crosses or x’s indicate guiding signals at roads and circles have a spiritual meaning. “We start from our heart, and move from circle to circle ever more widely, into the Circle of Life, like the horizon circles around you and your herd.” (Hagan and Meyers). During the colonization of Africa in the 1500s, the British, French, Portuguese, Belgians and Dutch appropriated  African metalwork bracelets, manufactured their own versions in Europe and called them manillas. They became the currency for the slave trade and were referred to as slave bracelets, slave trade money and slave currency used to purchase slaves for plantations in the Americas. Although manillas were primarily made by colonial western nations after the 16h century, the Tuareg historically continued to create manilla-like pieces for their cultural and economic systems. Prohibited for use by foreign traders under the Manilla Currency Ordinance of 1919, during1940s and 50’s they were confiscated and melted down. Manillas are still worn by slave descendants in the Caribbean as family treasures to pass on to future generations.

This Tuareg wrist and ankle manilla  was made from sand moulds shaped in a large C.  Followings Islam, they are prohibited from creating figures and instead use abstract geometric designs. Recognized for unique etched designs, symbols, motifs and faceted knob ends, this  one-of-a kind bracelet has massive finials with 12 facets containing detailed hand-etched and hammered designs including raised circles. It is in excellent condition with normal signs of age and use and comes with a wood and metal stand.

Click here for the Blog Manillas: Former African Trade Currency.