Groups of 3 Rare Antique Carnelian Tanfouk Talhakimt Hair Ornaments - Rita Okrent Collection (P896)

Small Antique Carnelian Tuareg Tanfouk/Talhakimt Hair Ornaments. Rare and hard to come by, offered in sets of three. Circa 1700s-1800s. Made in Cambay, a historic city in Gujarat, India, for the African trade. These are early examples predating the larger agate amulets later made in Idar-Oberstein (1800s onward) and the glass versions made in the Czech Republic and France (1900s). These Tanfouk or Talhakimt fertility amulets were traditionally worn by Tuareg women in Morocco and Mauritania as hair ornaments. This group was found in Burkina Faso and Niger, West Africa. Why We Love These This type of Tanfouk amulet is rare and hard to come by in the market. Beyond their scarcity, these amulets carry an elegant simplicity in form. They were prized as protective and fertility talismans by the Tuareg women who wore them. Each set carries its own individual character in shape, color, and wear, a reflection of generations of use. Provenance: Found in Burkina Faso and Niger, West Africa; ex-Tuareg use as hair ornaments Age: Circa 1700s-1800s Dimensions: Sizes vary, amulets range from 2.3 cm - 4.1cm (0.9-1.64 in) in height. Condition: Good condition overall, with minor edge wear and small chips consistent with age and use. See the recent Ornament Magazine article inspired by these amulets by Robert K. Liu (link below). As Robert states in the article, "I have not seen this type of fertility amulets for the Tuareg since the 1970s." https://www.ornamentmagazine.org/articles/cambay-idar-oberstein-czech-france-volume-463 Pendant Item 896a-d