Tuareg Leather Talisman – Shells – NigerTuareg Leather Talisman – Shells – Niger

Mid 20th century. Approx. cm. 18,5 high (7.28 Inches) x cm. 12,8 width (5.03 Inches). These talismans are hung inside the tent. The triangle is a protection against evil eye; the shell is related to female fertility. The Tuareg people inhabit a large area, covering almost all the middle and western Sahara and the north-central Sahel. They are probably descended from the ancient Libyan people of the kingdom of the Garamantes, described by Herodotus. Tuareg are mostly nomads. For over two millennia, the Tuareg operated the trans-Saharan caravan trade connecting the great cities on the southern edge of the Sahara via five desert trade routes to the northern coast of Africa (Mediterranean).