Modern Kiffa Beads from Mauritania CRJ_00623_X1
This is a long and beautiful strand of colorful powder glass handmade African Kiffa beads from Mauritania, made in the late 1900s or early 2000s. The name originates from the Mauritanian city of Kiffa, which is the center of this unique craft. These are powdered glass beads, produced with the old techniques used for antique Kiffa beads originating in the old bead-making town of Kiffa, Mauritania, from which these beads derive their name. They are prized for their sophisticated designs, bright colors, and artistry.
The strand is about 40" long including raffia
The round beads range from 10x12 to 14x16 mm, triangular beads range from 12x21 to 16x26mm
Number of beads: 69 round, 14 triangular
Most of the beads are in very good condition. One round bead is broken. As these are handmade beads made according to old traditions, each bead is different, and some have minor defects and chips. See photos for details.
Yemenite jewelry-making goes back to the biblical Queen of Sheba and her gifts of jewelry to King Solomon. Later Islamic rule in Yemen imposed a prohibition of jewelry making on the Muslim population, and the art of Yemenite silversmithing became exclusively the domain of the Jewish community of Yemen, and it is to this community we owe the exquisite pieces of silver jewelry from Yemen. This art was passed from generation to generation. Today, however, the art of Yemenite silversmithing is in decline. Only just a handful of Jewish silversmiths remain in Yemen. Most of the Jewish families are now in Israel, but fewer and fewer of the young generation engage in the age-old tradition, and the beautiful objects of this trade become more and more a piece of history.
Weights and sizes are approximate.
IMPORTANT NOTE. In the world of beads, and especially ancient and antique beads, errors in identification are common. We do our best to research and classify our beads accurately, however, mistakes are certainly possible. If you are a bead expert and notice any errors in the description, we invite you to please contact us and let us know. We are always grateful for any new information. We also accept returns no questions asked. See our Return Policy for details.
COLORS: Our photos are taken in different lighting in an attempt to show how beads look in different lighting conditions. We make every effort to show colors as accurately as possible. The white background photos are taken in daylight conditions. The black background photos are taken in the strong lab light and would be representative of what they would look like in the evening electric light. Some of the photos are backlit to emphasize their translucency. Note that monitor settings strongly affect the way the colors look. What you see on your monitor may differ from what you see with the naked eye depending on your monitor settings.
WE COMBINE SHIPPING and will refund any overage. Contact us when placing the order and we will work with you to ensure the best available shipping cost.
