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GEMSTONE BEADED TUAREG DESERT CROSSES
The Tuareg silver pendant known as the Southern Cross or Cross of Agadez is a well known piece of jewelry. There are 21 designs that are associated with oases and villages of the Air and Azawagh regions or with Tuareg tribal groups of northern Niger. Many theories have been offered as to their origins. The term 'cross' is a European term that has no equivalent in Tamasheck, the language of the Tuaregs. They themselves refer to these silver pendants as 'teneghelt' from the verb 'enghel' that means 'to pour' in reference to the lost wax method of pouring out the melted wax and pouring in the hot silver, the very method of how many Tuareg silver crosses are made one by one to this day.
All of my crosses are hand-cast by lost wax method in Agadez, Niger, West Africa and beaded by me in the traditional manner of black & silver. Many Tuareg use black or red glass to bead, whereas I only bead with gemstone. All silver tube and polyhedral beads are Tuareg authentic and hand-forged in Agadez.
Tuareg Desert Cross with 4mm black onyx, 5mm flat labradorite & hand-made 'nege nege' or silver polyhedral beads, representing the oasis region of Barchakea, Niger.
Cross: 4 x 5cm
$155/order
C-BAR
Cross of Barchakea
Length 18"
Crosses of Madoua & Barchakea
Tuareg Desert Cross beaded with 4 & 6mm black onyx, hand-made 'nege nege' or silver faceted beads & 4 'azumum' or silver tubes, representing the oasis region of Madoua, Niger.
Cross: 3.5 x 5cm
$155/order
C-MAD
Close-up of hand-made 'azumums' & silver 'nege nege'.
Length 20"
Crosses of Madoua & Barchakea
Desert Cross of Timia, a Tuareg village in the Air Mountains, Niger. Beaded with 4 & 6 mm black onyx beads, 3.5mm silver rounds and 2 'azumums' or silver tubes.
Cross: 2 x 5cm
$135/order
C-TIM
Crosses of Zinder & Timia
Length 18"
Tuareg Cross of Zinder, a town in the south of Niger. Beaded with 4 & 6mm black onyx and 'nege nege' or silver polyhedral beads.
Cross: 1.5 x 5cm
$125/order
C-ZIN
Crosses of Zinder & Timia
Length 18"
Desert Cross of Iferouane, a Tuareg village in the Air Mountains of northern Niger. Set off with a 6mm carnelian bead, 3.5mm silver rounds, 3.5mm black onyx & 2 'azumums' or silver tubes.
Cross: 1.5 x 3.5cm
$75/order
C-IFEs
Tuareg Cross of Karaga set off with a 6mm black onyx bead, 3.5mm silver rounds, 3.5mm black onyx & 4 'azumums' or silver tubes.
Cross: 2 x 3.5cm
$75/order
C-KARs
Desert Cross of Timia a Tuareg village in the Air Mountains of northern Niger. Set off with a 6mm black onyx bead, 3.5mm silver rounds, 3.5mm black onyx & 4 'azumums' or silver tubes.
Cross: 1 x 3.5cm
$75/order
C-TIMs
Tuareg Cross of Tahoua, a multi-ethnic town in central Niger. Beaded with 3.5mm black onyx & 4 'azumums' or silver tubes.
Cross: 1.5 x 3.5cm
$75/order
C-TAHs1
Tuareg Cross of Tahoua, a multi-ethnic town in central Niger. Set off with a 6mm black onyx bead, 3.5mm silver rounds, 3.5mm black onyx & 4 'azumums' or silver tubes.
Cross: 1.5 x 3.5cm
$75/order
C-TAHs2
