Old Tuareg Bracelet – TEKAFAT – Niger – Rare Item

Early to mid‑20th century. Silver, 27.6 g (0.89 troy oz) and copper studs; diameter 7.7 cm (3.03 in); inner diameter 6.2 cm (2.44 in).

For similar examples, see Bijoux Touaregs, by Jean Burner, p. 248.

The Tuareg people inhabit a vast area covering most of the central and western Sahara and the north‑central Sahel. They are probably descended from the ancient Libyan populations of the Kingdom of the Garamantes, described by Herodotus. The Tuareg are traditionally nomadic. For more than two millennia, they controlled the trans‑Saharan caravan trade, connecting the major cities along the southern edge of the Sahara with the northern coast of Africa (the Mediterranean) through five principal desert trade routes.

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