Authentic Vintage Tuareg Silver and Onyx Bead Necklace with Small Arced Pendant

The Tuareg are semi-nomadic people of the Saharan desert who inhabit parts of North and West Africa, including Mali, Niger, Algeria, Libya, and Morocco. They practice Islam and have deep craft traditions in metal, wood, and leather, using abstract designs. Tuareg silver jewelry uses a silver and copper alloy as the base metal. This African Tuareg necklace features a small etched and oxidized arced pendant strung with black onyx, red glass, and silver tubular beads. The front of the uniquely shaped pendant has circular and linear abstract motifs, while the back surface is plain and bears the marks of time and making (see photos). The fastener is created with a larger faceted glass bead and a simple loop in the twine; you unwind the twine to make an opening eye for the bead to thread through. You unhook it in a similar way. I purchased these Tuareg pieces in the early 1990s from a reputable art gallery and they date prior to that. Note the silver/copper alloy tarnishes, which I clean with a jewelry polishing cloth. This necklace has a slightly matte finish and doesn’t shine up as much as the other two Tuareg necklaces in my closet. Silver and copper alloy, onyx beads, glass beads, waxed string, with glass bead and looped string closure Length around neck: 17” Pendant: 1”l x 1.25”w Handmade I include three photos of multiple pendants to give you a sense of their relative scale and size, but only the shorter beaded necklace is included in this purchase.