A digital archive showcasing the extensive collection of jewellery and adornment images shared on the former Ethnic Jewels Ning site over the years. These images have significantly enriched discussions on cultural adornment and its global dispersion.

Tuareg (?) amulet

silver (?) covered by leather
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  • Yesterday, I began to feel "lost" between "Berberes", "Bedouins" and "Touaregs" and needed a clear "identification"/""classification" (some would say I'm not french for nothing ..... ;-) )

    Found on different websites this (sorry, I made my search in french, so here is the french result :

    * Les Berbères sont les plus anciens habitants de l’Afrique du Nord.

    "Berbères" est un nom donné par les romains qui les désignent comme  «ceux dont on ne comprend pas la langue» (Berber would be a name given by Romans, which means "the ones which language is un-understanding", which is "funny" as the Greek named all the other people who didn't speak Greek "the Barbars" (the ones who, when they speak, you hear "BAR BAR BAR ...." .... finally we are always the "Barbar" of someone ! ;-) ...........)

    les Berbères, aujourd’hui, sont plus de 10 millions: 6 millions au Maroc (Chleuh, Tamazight et Rifain) et 3millions5 en Algérie (Chaouia, Kabyles, Mozabite, Touareg). On entend par Berbères un ensemble d’ethnies, de communautés d’Afrique du nord qui se répartissent selon la carte suivante

    (SO the Tuaregs would be Berbers ....)

    on les appelle aussi Imazighens

    * Les Touaregs: ou Targui au singulier,
    Ils sont des berbères à la différence moins nomades. Principalement situés dans le Sahara central, Algérie, Mali, Niger, Libye, bordures du Sahel, Mali et Burkina Faso.

    *Les Bédouins: Ce sont les nomades du Sahara Africain jusqu'au Moyen Orient.

    Bédouins vient de Badawi qui signifie «nomade».

    Après la conquête musulmane, Bédouins et Berbères étaient en concurrence. Maintenant, ce sont des nomades qui sont de plus en plus sédentarisés.

  • This leather covered amulet is a tcerot.
    It is a Tuareg piece, it contains protective written amulets and sometimes some religious writings too...such as the 99 names of Allah.
    The Berber equivalent of the piece is called a kitab, and is not covered with leather and is square or rectangular.
    Amulet holders are worn in many places, there are some very beautiful examples on the site.
    Warm wishes
    Sarah
  • https://ethnicjewels.ning.com/main/search/search?q=Kitab&page=2

    By following this link you can learn more regarding these amulets.
    S x
  • This piece appears quite old ( I see some verdigris on the metal parts) and may well be from Mauritania ( more knowledgeable people of always welcome to correct me.) I base my conclusion of origin on the knobs which embellish the piece.

  • @Patty, I share your opinion. I think this is a Mauritanian Kitab and not a Tuareg tchérot. I wrote so at the beginning of the comments, but took it out again, because I tried to avoid confrontation.

  • Just curious as to what you base your conclusion on, Eva. Is it the design? Also, for all of us to understand this better, I have seen many leather covered amulets such as this designated as of Tuareg origin. Is there a way to tell the difference between the origins? Thanks.

  • @Patty, it is the leather. Of course, Tuareg might wear this too - it is above all a protective object, to keep badluck, bad djinns, etc away. Ethnies overlap in the Sahara regions, therefore you  see e.g. Woodabe wearing Tuareg crosses, Tuareg amulettes, etc,  The same is with this type of amulette - I do not doubt that many Tuareg wear this too. But in all the literature and also in online pages, you will find that this type is from Mauritania (kitab covered with leather).I had been searching for an amulette like this and was "wandering" through the online shops......... and I found that it is the type of Mauritanian kitab, also in books. There are many examples like this one, and they are said to be Mauritanian Wehave to bear in mind, that Mauritania is bordering Mali, and from Timbuktu you are in one hour in Mauritania - so of course, it is probable that other Sahara nomads use this type too. I am interested in Mauritania, as I know Mauritanians who lived in Timbuktu, and with whom we made a desert trekking. I have lived in their house and have "breathed" Mauritanian culture there.  Well, we will see what others say. Perhpas after all, I am wrong.

  • back to your question (which I have not answered yet) -- No, unfortunately, I have no way to tell the difference between the Mauritanian one and the Tuareg one. the metal tchérot without leather is easily recognizable as Tuareg. Concerning this type with the leather..... (my opinion is that it originates from Mauritania), but perhaps someone knows more. Let's wait and see. I will be pleased to revise my opinion.

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