Antique Tuareg Manilla Currency Bracelet, North/West Africa (3145)

Description

Two million Tuareg herders were historically nomadic peoples traversing the Sahel and Sahara Desert in North African countries of Mali, Niger, Libya, Algeria, Chad and West African Burkina Faso. As Muslims, they cannot create figures and instead use abstract geometric designs. With a rich metalwork tradition, Tuareg artisans created elegant brass and copper bracelets as jewelry and for storing and exchanging wealth. Although manillas were primarily made by colonial western nations, the Tuareg historically created manilla-like pieces for their cultural and economic systems. 

This elegantly hand chased horseshoe-shaped manilla from the Mali and Niger region has hammered and incised designs and motifs unique to individual Tuareg tribes passed on for generations. Divided into sections with traditional etched linear designs, circular cutouts, diamonds, grooves ending in large rounded knot finials incised with layered triangles designs. Excellent condition with expected minor oxidation and a crack and on a wood and metal stand.

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

Sources

Helen E. Hagan and Lucile Meyers, Tuareg Jewelry: Traditional Patterns and Symbols, Xlibrus Corporation, 2006.