Vintage Berber Taguemout Bead - Amazigh Egg Bead - Morocco
Large vintage Moroccan enamel taguemout bead. These beautiful pieces are often used as the focal bead on large Berber necklaces, and sometime on fibula chain. Traditional colors of yellow, green and orange enamel and three coin dangles.
Large, beautiful taguemout beads are highly ornate and decorated with wirework and colorful enamel. They come in many varieties and color combinations. This bead was produced in the Tiznit area of southern Morocco in the Anti Atlas Mountains. Traditionally, taguemout beads represent fertility and are worn in abundance by Berber women on necklaces and on the connecting chain or "necklace" between fibula pins. The repeating eye motif (circle within a circle) is used for protection from the evil eye. Enamel is the art of using molten glass to fill in spaces, usually between wirework, with solid color.
Berber, or Amazigh, jewelry is large, showy, colorful and FUN, often including lots of detail like enamel in bright colors, large jewels and coins. It represents much more than simply adornment. Each piece can signify fertility, wealth, social and marital status. The Berbers or Imazighen (‘Free people’; plural of Amazigh) are the original inhabitants of North Africa. They speak a number of related languages and share a common cultural heritage. Most Berbers today live in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.
Item No. JPB0117
Size: 2 inches across, 2.75 inches from top of bead to bottom of dangles
Bead Circumference: About 5 inches
Hole size: About 5 mm
Enamel Colors: Green and I think yellow and orange that have turned very dark.
Materials: Mixed metals, enamel
Attachment: Hollow with holes for stringing
Additional Iinfo: Enamel is chipped.
Three coin dangles
Coutry of Origin: Morocco
Condition: Vintage
Please check photos carefully for condition. You will receive the exact piece(s) shown in the photos on this page. This is a USED piece that has been previously worn in country. As a previously used tribal item it may have small flaws such as loose or missing jewels, missing bells, obvious repairs, may be tarnished or worn, or have other small flaws.
A NOTE ON THE CONDITION OF TRIBAL ITEMS: Our jewelry is used tribal jewelry, from faraway lands. As used pieces the condition of our items will reflect their prior lives as treasured tribal pieces. Please know that we strive to maintain the tribal allure of our items and therefore we do not clean or repair these pieces in any way. We leave that choice to the buyer, as each may prefer something different. This not only maintains the old, tribal look of each piece that our belly dance customers seek, but also preserves the value of a piece that cleaning might diminish.
We do our best to describe any flaws that may be present in our items, and we encourage you to read the full description and look at all photos closely to judge the condition of the item for yourself and know exactly what you are ordering. If you have questions about the condition of any item, please ask!
