Gallery

Comments

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  Alaa eddine SAGID August 8, 2011 at 7:28pm

  Thank you Toya,

   

  I am definetely convinced this is a tourist stuff, camel has always been a massiv argument for any exotism-seeker.

   

  Yours and kim's examples do show however darker couloured pressed paste beads and they have perfect condition opposite to mine wich is nearly falling apart!!

   

  Anyway i can't think of any coutry other than  Tunisia, Libya or Algeria where these beads were used
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  Toya August 8, 2011 at 8:02pm

  I agree with you about this being a tourist piece, however I found a similar necklace on the internet with this information attached so will post it-

  "In North Africa women wear bead necklaces made of scented magic beads,
  These beads are made of a mixture called "amberpaste". It is composed from, among other, ambergris (having no relationship whatever with amber), aloeswood, musk, rose petals, cloves, saffron and nutmeg. Ambergris is a waxy substance that is found floating in the Indian Ocean and other tropical waters, believed to be secretion from the stomach of the sperm whale. It has an pleasant scent.
  These beads are considered to be an aphrodisiac, and enhanced by magic, being capable of seducing a man. Depending on the country and social economic background of the women different elements are included in the composition of the paste. In Tunis, women claim that their recipe comes from a very old Egyptian formula."
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  Alaa eddine SAGID August 8, 2011 at 8:10pm

  The recipe you have found is definetely  true with slight differences from one region to another.

   

  Tunisia have had log relationships with cairo, matter of fact the egyptian FATMID dinasty was of tunisian origin, so no surpride the recipe came to tunis from cairo a long ago but it also disappeared from cairo a long ago.

   

  PLease have a look at one old picture i have posted of a genuine olf tunisian scent paste beads with enameled silver beads
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  Stefany Tomalin August 9, 2011 at 9:43pm

  its worth reading this article about "Skhab"-

  <http://www.bead-database.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=...>

  Skhab article
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  Toya August 10, 2011 at 12:40am

  Stefany-thank you, I have read that article in the past and it is very informative.
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  marie jose Opper September 6, 2011 at 6:52pm

  Upon seeing this necklace of scented paste beads I am certain, like Ayis, that it was made for the tourist trade in Tunisia.  I have three similar necklaces in my collection.  
  There are numerous recipes for scented paste that vary according to how much the person ordering them can afford or who makes them herself.
  I have posted several photos of expensive traditional Tunisian beads as well as a traditional rural Tunisian necklace on which the scented beads were fabricated directly on the chain itself.
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  Toya September 6, 2011 at 7:17pm

  Thank you for sharing this interesting  information about the Tunisian  scented beads.
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  SARAH CORBETT August 5, 2013 at 3:02pm

  Hi toya, do you own this piece? If so would you be open to lending it for a world wide exhibition....?
  Or selling it !
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  Toya August 5, 2013 at 4:36pm

  Hi Sarah-I would be happy to sell it. You can message me about details. I would like to hear more about the exhibition.
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  SARAH CORBETT August 6, 2013 at 5:33am

  Hi toya ,
  Thanks a million, I am travelling to Santa Fe at the moment, I will mail you when I get home S x