You Say Talhakimt, I Say Tanfouk...
Curious about these amazing pieces? Read on!
I’m sure you’ve seen these intriguing and beautiful pieces offered for sale by belly dance vendors or other retailers when looking for dance DIY or jewelry items. They seem to be part triangle and part ring, and maybe you’ve wondered what they are, how they are used, where they come from and most importantly, what they mean. You may have seen brightly colored glass ones, striped and swirled carnelian pieces or even 3D printed plastics. They come in many materials with many small differences, but talhakimt (also referred to as tanfouk) are all variations on one theme – the triangle and the ring.
Talhakimt are worn by Tuareg people in Mali and Mauritania, in the Sahara and in North and West Africa as amulets and charms. Women wear them on necklaces, on headdresses, and braided or sewn into the hair, particularly in elaborate styles like those seen in the Guedra dance, and men affix them to headwraps or wear them as rings and pendants. The design of the talhakimt - the triangle and the ring - is variously said to have been based on the Egyptian ankh or to have been a design borrowed from Asian Indian finger rings. Most often you will hear that it is a representation of the male (triangle) and female (opening) aspects of nature. Combined as they are here, the talhakimt is said to be a reflection of the balance between the two and is worn as a fertility amulet and protective charm.
While the basic design of the talhakimt has been in use since ancient times, European glass makers began mass-producing them in the early 1900s as trade pieces. Most European pressed-glass talhakimt, produced primarily in France and Czechoslovakia using the Prosser method, are the ones most frequently found. They were made in reds, greens and blues in numerous shades, yellow, black and white and a few other colors. All of these are somewhat similar in size and the design was consistent from each producer. With a cursory web search you can find vintage pieces easily, usually at reasonable prices. Vintage glass talhakimt strung by the dozens on raffia cord can sometimes be found on offer by bead traders or imports dealers. This general type of Talhakimt is still made in glass and other materials - metal or porcelain for example, and even plastic. This influential design became increasingly popular in the western world beginning in the 1990s.
These pressed-glass talhakimt are the ones you have probably seen for sale by dance vendors and are used as additions to jewelry and dance costuming. Tiny ones can be added to earrings or bundled together with other small pendants on necklaces. Medium and large ones are often seen as focal pieces on necklaces and sometimes as costume embellishments. Many of these are still encrusted with the ubiquitous pinkish African mud that you find in the crevices of the design. This will wash off with water and a bit of gentle scrubbing to make a clean piece, but I think it adds interest and authenticity and I tend to leave it in place. I must admit, the pressed-glass trade-bead talhakimt has always been my favorite!
Some of the most beautiful talhakimt I have seen are those made of carnelian. This gorgeous and often translucent stone of browns, reds, oranges, yellows, white and almost transparent stripes appears to glow when held to the light.
An interesting story of a specific type of carnelian talhakimt is that of the Idar-Oberstein talhakimt. Carnelian as a gemstone was mined in Idar-Oberstein, Germany from the late 1400s. Over hundreds of years, a thriving industry grew up in that region and the area’s workers had become some of the most prestigious gemcutters in the world. Unfortunately because of continuous mining, the supply of local carnelian was largely depleted by the early nineteenth century, and high-quality carnelian stone from Brazil and India was imported to help maintain their standing as the world’s foremost gemstone carvers.
In the late 1800s Idar-Oberstein craftsmen began producing talhakimt pieces for trade. Merchants were the primary purchasers and they shipped these talhakimt to Africa to exchange them for export goods.
Talhakimt crafted in Idar-Oberstein (as well as carnelian talhakimt from other sources) are still around and are worn today for the amuletic properties of the shape, color and material they are made from. These are often impressive pieces with many swirls and striations that dazzle the eye. You can find a nice variety of these carnelian talhakimt available from bead traders or jewelry dealers. Vintage pieces can sometimes be a bit pricey, but most of these are still not extraordinarily expensive and can be found all over the world.
The story of Idar-Oberstein itself in relation to it’s mining and gemworking history is fascinating in it’s own right, and worth reading, even if it does not pertain directly to the topic at hand. You can read more about Idar-Oberstein’s history HERE.
There are several other types of talhakimt or tanfouk that you may come across. The smaller agate / carnelian pieces are fairly common, as are the small green glass ones of similar size. Some have been made in bakelite (an early to mid-20th century plastic), celluloid or other plastics. From time to time you will see some that are made of other types of stone or made entirely out of either mixed or precious metals. This list is certainly not exhaustive, and I’m sure there are other materials that have been used as well.
It is worth mentioning another type of jewelry piece that is made by setting triangular glass or agate pieces into metal settings with a ring. While these are also a Tuareg item, are also used as hair rings / finger rings and are also called tanfouk, they are different in that they are considered versions of the Tuareg cross instead of a simple amulet or pendant. Especially the Ingall cross (third photo in the photo bar directly above) which I have never see in any other form, even when shown in a diagram with the other recognized Tuareg crosses. The size of these pieces can range from larger and/or very long to very tiny. And if you find this all a bit confusing, you are not alone!
If you like the shape and meaning of the talhakimt, you are in luck. There are still many who produce them around the world today, including some here in the US that are making them specifically for dance jewelry and costuming. Vintage pieces remain available in good supply from lots of sources. This design still remains quite popular, so there shouldn’t be a shortage anytime soon. New pieces and some of the vintage pieces can be found from many belly dance vendors. Vintage jewelry dealers and African bead traders carry older pieces, either as a stock item or from time to time. And as with any vintage item, now that they have been called to your attention and you know a bit more about them, you will notice them more frequently. For examples, please see photos above, or browse The Red Camel’s current stock of vintage talhakimt by CLICKING HERE.
PLEASE NOTE: Photos may not be used without the express permission of The Red Camel.
REFERENCES
Arkell, A. J. (1935). Forms of the Talhākim and the Tanaghilit as Adopted from the Tuareg by Various West African Tribes. The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, 65, 307–309. https://doi.org/10.2307/2844064
Arkell, A. J. (1935). Some Tuareg Ornaments and Their Connection with India. The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, 65, 297–306. https://doi.org/10.2307/2844063
Fischer, A. (n.d.). Tuareg Jewelry. IMUHAR : Nomads of the Sahara. Retrieved June 24, 2025, from http://imuhar.eu/site/en/imuhartuareg/jewelry.php
Fisher, A. (1984). Africa Adorned (pp. 183, 185). Harry N. Abrams, Inc. NY.
Frontiere, E. (2025, May 7). Idar Oberstein Gem Cutting: What Is It? Retrieved June 23, 2025, from https://www.gemsociety.org/article/idar-oberstein-gem-cutting-what-is-it/
Kampmann, U. (2009, October 14). Money in Other Societies: Traditional Means of Payment from the Kuhn Collection - Part 2. Coins Weekly. Retrieved June 27, 2025, from https://coinsweekly.com/money-in-other-societies-traditional-means-of-payment-from-the-kuhn-collection-part-2/
Milburn, M. (1992). ON THE RELATIVE AGES OF SOME NIGER PENDANTS. Africa: Rivista Trimestrale Di Studi e Documentazione Dell’Istituto Italiano per l’Africa e l’Oriente, 47(4), 626–630. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40760738
van Roode, S. (2023, Dec 13). Tuareg silver rings with carnelian, published on the Bedouin Silver website https://bedouinsilver.com/tuareg-silver-and-pointy-carnelian-ring/, accessed on June 27, 2025