Kiffa glass beads, Bohemian trade beads, lapis, coral sterling clasp, Indian silver
mm high
47mm wide
mm deep
Kiffa beads, handmade from the 1600’s by women using powdered glass, gum Arabic, and fire, were once prized cultural artifacts. During the 1960s Mauritanian crisis, political instability, drought, and rapid modernisation disrupted traditional crafts so the ancient skills died with the women who made them. Kiffa bead-making further declined as materials grew scarce and the younger generations moved to cities. The loss of this art reflected broader cultural erosion and economic hardship faced by rural Mauritanian communities. Concerned cultural groups are investing in the production of new Kiffa beads, but the exact recipes were never written down and a trained eye can tell the difference between old and new
Please note, this artwork is currently on exhibition at Belconnen Arts Centre and will not be available for pick-up or delivery until the exhibition has closed. Please check the Belco Arts website for exhibition dates.
mm high
47mm wide
mm deep
Kiffa beads, handmade from the 1600’s by women using powdered glass, gum Arabic, and fire, were once prized cultural artifacts. During the 1960s Mauritanian crisis, political instability, drought, and rapid modernisation disrupted traditional crafts so the ancient skills died with the women who made them. Kiffa bead-making further declined as materials grew scarce and the younger generations moved to cities. The loss of this art reflected broader cultural erosion and economic hardship faced by rural Mauritanian communities. Concerned cultural groups are investing in the production of new Kiffa beads, but the exact recipes were never written down and a trained eye can tell the difference between old and new
Please note, this artwork is currently on exhibition at Belconnen Arts Centre and will not be available for pick-up or delivery until the exhibition has closed. Please check the Belco Arts website for exhibition dates.