You Say Talhakimt, I Say Tanfouk...

Curious about these amazing pieces? Read on!

I’m sure you’ve seen these intriguing and beautiful pieces, part triangle and part ring, and maybe you wondered what they are, 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 lots of small differences, but talhakimt (also referred to as tanfouk) are all variations on one theme – the triangle and the ring.

Although the design itself has ancient origins, talhakimt, as dancers generally know them, are used by Tuareg people in Mali and Mauritania, in the Sahara and in North and West Africa as amulets and charms. They are most often worn by women as necklaces, hair ornaments and in headdresses, particularly in elaborate styles like those seen in the Guedra dance and affixed to a man’s headpiece or worn as rings and pendants. The design of the talhakimt - the triangle and the ring - are representations of the male (triangle) and female (opening) aspects of nature. Combined as they are here, the talhakimt is a reflection of the balance between the two and is worn as a protective and fertility amulet.

This design is said to have originated in India in the1800s as finger rings, but only began to be produced in pressed glass for African trade beginning in the early 1900s. Talhakimt of this type are still made in glass and in other materials as well - silver and porcelain for example, and even plastic. This influential design became increasingly popular in the western world beginning in the 1990s and continues to be worn around the globe today.

Some of the most beautiful talhakimt I have seen are those made of carnelian. This gorgeous, often translucent stone of browns, reds, oranges, yellows, white and almost transparent stripes appears to glow when held to the light and because of these properties is often assigned protective or other powers.

Carnelian as a gemstone was mined in Idar Oberstein Germany for hundreds of years and a thriving industry sprang up in that region because of the local supply. The stone was cut, shaped and polished into amazing talhakimt pieces by some of the world's most skilled gemstone carvers beginning in the late 1800s.

However, because of continuous mining, the supply of agate at Idar-Oberstein was largely depleted by the early nineteenth century, and carnelian from Brazil and India was then imported to maintain their standing as some of the world’s foremost gem workers. Talhakimt crafted in Idar Oberstein are still 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.

Vintage pressed glass talhakimt are the ones most often seen by dancers as additions to jewelry and costuming. Tiny ones can be added to earrings. Medium and large ones are often seen as focal pieces on necklaces and sometimes as embellishments on costuming. Glass talhakimt pieces were pressed in France and Czechoslovakia from the early 1900s and are most often found in reds, greens and blues in numerous shades, yellow, black and white. All of these were 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. Many of these are still encrusted with the ubiquitous pinkish African mud that you find pressed into 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. And I must admit, the pressed-glass trade-bead talhakimt has always been my favorite!

There are several other types of talhakimt to be found as well. Small agate ones are fairly common. Glass and agate pieces are also sometimes incorporated into metal settings, traditionally as hair rings, but often used as finger rings. These can be more or less expensive depending on the metal content, age and rarity. Some are made of bakelite (an early to mid-20th century plastic) 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 of materials is certainly not exhaustive, and there are probably other materials that have been used as well.

If you like the shape and meaning of the talhakimt, you are in luck. There are many producers around the world today, including many here in the US that are making them specifically for jewelry and costuming. And vintage pieces remain available in good supply. This design still seems to be 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 jewelry suppliers. Vintage jewelry dealers, bead traders and lots of other retailers 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.

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/

Fischer, A. (n.d.). Tuareg Jewelry. IMUHAR : Nomads of the Sahara. Retrieved June 24, 2025, from http://imuhar.eu/site/en/imuhartuareg/jewelry.php

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