Saharan Tuareg and Berber history is fascinating!
Lately I have been drawn to these vintage hand crafted silver bangles with notches. To me, they resemble peaks in the Sahara desert. Their simplicity and flow led me to investigate more about them.
The bangles were made by a second generation Sanhaja tribe, later Tuaregs.
The Tuaregs were considered "Free People" they were a liberated semi-nomadic tribe traveling through the desert on camels and horseback, following their herd and returning to a base land to grow crops.
They would stop on various trade routes to sell their valuables. Their jewellery was of the highest quality as a small valuable items took up less space when trekking through the desert. They sometimes had jewellery made out of silver coins by local silversmiths in celebration of marriage, symbolizing status or wear amulets with symbols which would protect from evil spirits.
While women of the Tuareg community don't have to wear veils, quite uniquely the men cover their faces with traditional indigo-dyed veils to protect themselves from the harsh desert sand and not remove them, not even in front of family. The women own and tend to their tents and cattle free and unveiled.
Their practices are progressive, giving women an equal if not more important status in their community. They are leaders of their society and family. Women are respected and they are sacred to the culture of Tuareg society. Tuareg culture is largely matrilineal. Women play an important role as external but important influences in political discussions. Men will consult with their wives and mothers before making any important choices.
Pre-marital sex is not a taboo, and divorce is not shameful. Sometimes divorce parties are thrown to let eligible suitors know the divorced women is available. Once divorced, the woman keeps all the belongings and the man has to start over.
Much of the Tuareg and Berber jewellery is symbolic. They believe in continuous presence of various spirits and feel protected with symbolic amulets that contain verses from the Koran.
A little history so intriguing. Hope you enjoy our story and these magical bangles from the past. All made of high quality silver. All the bangles are measured by the inner dimension. The size that fits most is 2.5 inches. Most of the bangles are found much smaller as the bone structure of these women were smaller. This makes the larger ones harder to come by. We are continuously searching for more.
37 products
Moroccan vintage thin rounded bangle #9
Regular price $55.00Antique Berber silver bangles, Saharan, southern Morocco. This bangle is solid and has beautiful grooves and lines carved into it. It is done by a skilled silver smith. It is fairly narrow but strong. May look best stacked with other bangles. Is very easy to get on for a medium to large wrist.
Vintage: 1960's
Inner dimension 2.5inch or 6.4cm
width of band 3mm
Weight: 9 grams
Moroccan vintage narrow bangle #14
Regular price $120.00Antique Berber silver bangles, Saharan, southern Morocco. This bangle is solid and has beautiful grooves and lines carved into it. It is done by a skilled silver smith.
Tiny balls going around the bangle. Feels primitive and grounded. Looks great stacked with other bangles.
Vintage: 1960's
Inner dimension 2.4inch or 6.2cm
width of band 3mm
Weight: 19 grams
Moroccan vintage bangles with tiny balls, Pair #1
Regular price $110.00Antique Berber silver bangles, Saharan, southern Morocco,
Tiny balls going around the bangle. Feels primitive and grounded. Looks great stacked with other bangles.
Vintage: 1970's
Inner dimension 2.4inch or 6.2cm
width of band 2.5mm
Weight: 20 grams
Moroccan vintage bangle with balls #10
Regular price $100.00Antique Berber silver bangle, from the city of Guelmim, Saharan, southern Morocco,
Black enamel inlay with 24 balls in groups of three going around the bangle.
Vintage: 1970's
Inner dimension 2.3inch or 6cm
width of band 3mm
Weight: 18 grams
Moroccan vintage high grade silver bangle notched #2
Regular price $110.00Saharan/Berber
This beautiful high grade Berber bangle was made by the Saharawi people of the Saharan desert in Morocco. The design and craftsmanship are truly amazing. They feel ancient and modern all at the same time. Love the 4 notches which repeat around the bangle with space in-between. The patterns is gently worn away. Sold in singles.
Vintage: 1960's
Inner dimension 2.4inch or 6.2cm
width of band 6mm
These bangles would fit most wrists
Weight: 17 grams
Moroccan vintage high grade silver bangle notched #11
Regular price $135.00Saharan/Berber
This beautiful high grade Berber bangle was made by the Saharawi people of the Saharan desert in Morocco. The design and craftsmanship are truly amazing. They feel ancient and modern all at the same time. Love the notching. The patterns reminds me of the Saharan desert. Sold in singles.
Vintage: 1970's
Inner dimension 2.4inch or 6.2cm
width of band 6mm
These bangles would fit most wrists
Weight: 19 grams
Moroccan vintage high grade silver bangle notched #3
Regular price $165.00Saharan/Berber
This beautiful high grade Berber bangle was made by the Saharawi people of the Saharan desert in Morocco. The design and craftsmanship are truly amazing. They feel ancient and modern all at the same time. Love the notching. The patterns reminds me of the Saharan desert. Sold in singles.
Vintage: 1970's
Inner dimension 2.5inch
width of band 6mm
These bangles would fit most wrists
Weight: 28 grams each
Moroccan vintage high grade silver bangle notched #13
Regular price $148.00Saharan/Berber
This beautiful high grade Berber bangle was made by the Saharawi people of the Saharan desert in Morocco. The design and craftsmanship are truly amazing. They feel ancient and modern all at the same time. Love the notching. The patterns reminds me of the Saharan desert. Sold in singles.
Vintage: 1970's
Inner dimension 2.5inch
width of band 6mm
These bangles would fit most wrists
Weight: 22 grams each
Moroccan antique silver bangle with granular balls
Regular price $148.00Very old and traditional Saharan/Tuareg bangle.
Dainty on the hand yet a solid bangle with good weight. The tiny balls are alternating with a narrow diamond shape. It's very pretty on.
Vintage: 1940's
Inner dimension 2.4cm 6mm
width of band 5mm
Weight: 21 grams
Moroccan Bangle Pair, Berber Primitive carving set of 2 M
Regular price $95.00A nice pair of Moroccan vintage bangles from the 1960s with gently worn carved motifs. Light weight yet solid. Medium size wrist. Sold in a pair only.
Bracelet width: 2 3/8 Inches
Materials: Silver, primitively made Tiznit Style
12 grams
Moroccan Silver Bangle Anitique scalloped L
Regular price $95.00This fine scalloped bangle is made from a high quality silver. Chiseled in are plant motifs repeating themselves around the bangle. It is easy to slip on for a medium size to large wrist.
Vintage 1940's
Lovely color, smoothly worn,
Wegiht-11 grams.
2.5 inner width
Moroccan Antique Bangle pair from Tiznit L
Regular price $89.00These fine bangles are made from a quality silver. They are scalloped around the edges with a discreet hand carved diamond shape repeating itself in the middle. Easy to slip on size medium to large wrist. Sold in pairs.
Vintage from the 1960s intricate work
Bracelet width: 2 5/8 Inches diameter
Materials: Silver 6.32 grams each
Moroccan Bangle, Vintage Berber Suns
Regular price $46.00This is a pretty bangles with a good vibe sun motifs. It fits a medium wrist and are easy to put on. Looks great on its own or in a grouping.
Silver 6 grams each
Vintage 1980's
2 1/2 inner diameter
Scalloped edges with star and vegetation motifs
Moroccan bangles set of 2 Tiznit geometric
Regular price $110.00This pair matched pair of bangles looks very modern with straight lines alternating with a repeated geometric shape. Berber and from the Tiznit area. Fits a medium wrist.
Vintage: Berber 1970's
silver 18 grams
2 1/2 inner diameter
Moroccan Vintage set of 3 small
Regular price $140.00These bangles are in very good condition and made of a high quality silver. These bangles will fit a small wrist only. They have a beautiful geometric pattern carved into them. The style is in keeping with the work done in Tiznit and were most likely made there.
Vintage: 1970's
Silver 20.5 grams
2 1/4 inner diameter
Moroccan Atlas Berber Dowry Bangle
Regular price $145.00This bangle is very old and well loved. It is rounded with simple carved lines. It looks modern yet mysterious. Nice weight. High grade silver.
Central Atlas Tamazight is one of the most-spoken Berber languages. the Atlas Mountains run from the Moroccan port of Agadir in the southwest, across the north of Algeria, and to the Tunisian capital of Tunis in the northeast.
Atlas Berber silver
Vintage: 1950's
inner dimensions 2 3/8 inch
23.9 grams
Moroccan Bracelet Saharan/Tuareg granulated clasp
Regular price $150.00This is a dainty but yet substantial bracelet for someone with a smaller wrist. It has a hinged opening with a pin closure. It has a single band adorned with 3 rows of tiny granular balls.
2 1/8 the opening
Classic style
30.2 grams Silver
Moroccan Bracelet Saharan/Tuareg granulated 3 band
Regular price $200.00This is a dainty but yet substantial bracelet for someone with a smaller wrist. It has a hinged opening with a pin closure. It has 3 stacked diamond shapes, evenly spaced 6 times making it perfectly symmetrical between 3 bands adorned with tiny granular balls.
Vintage 1970's
silver 44.6 grams
inner diameter 2 1/8
Saharan Tuareg
Moroccan cuff antique silver Berber Massa
Regular price $190.00This lovely piece is on the larger side and could easily fit a man. It has a soft silver patina and is made with the mysterious designs of old Massa, a Phoenician port long ago, where the designs show influences coming from elsewhere, like the famous spiral.
Vintage from the 1960s
Bracelet width: 2 5/8 Inches inner diameter
Materials: Silver 37.2 grams
Adjustable unisex
