Ethnic Jewels

Pair Berber Anklets – Massive Silver – AIT JELIDASSEN Tribe, North Morocco

Early 20th century. Silver grams 530,9 (18.72 oz.); cm. 7,5 high x cm. 7,7 width (2.95″ x 3.03"), inner diameter cm. 6,7 (2.63″). "Ram head" hallmark. Outstanding anklets, extrafine work. The Imazighen (singular Amazigh) also known as the Berbers are among the original peoples of North Africa. Their myths. Legends and history span 9,000...

Two Old Lip Plugs – Kirdi – Northern Cameroon

Early 20th century. Bronze (lovely old patina) and Quartz (rare item). The bronze lip plug is cm 1,5 high; diameter cm 2,4; grams 11,3. The Quartz lip plug (small damage to the edges) is cm 2,2 high; diameter 4,5; grams 22,9. The name of Kirdi - which in Arabic means non-Muslim - is attributed to the many...

Head Adornement – Ait Atta Tribe – Morocco

Mid 20th century. Old Boghdad (metal), old glass beads gr. 213,1 (7.51 oz.); approx. cm 18,0 width x cm. 15,0 high (7.08" x 5.90"). The Ait Atta are a large Berber tribal confederation of South eastern Morocco. They are divided into “five fifths” (khams khmas), all said to descend from the forty sons...

Lobi Bronze Armlet – Crocodile – Burkina Faso

20th century. Diameter cm. 9,8 (3.85"); inner diameter cm. 7,7 (3.03"). Gr. 375,6 (13.24 oz.). The Lobi are an ethnic group that originated in what is today Ghana. Starting around 1770 many of the Lobi migrated into southern Burkina Faso and later into Côte d’Ivoire. The name Lobi originates from two Lobiri words lou (meaning...