Pendant Item Number: 3395/7 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Tuareg cross pendant. Top piece, four arms extended like a cross with the upper arm ending in a ring, and lower arm is cutoff ending in another ring. A short chain, with three beads: dark blue, light blue with dark blue swirls and dark blue "evil eye" beads; separate the top talisman with the next. There are also two 1 Kurus - Mehmed V coins attached, one on either side of the ring. Below, a large triangle with the top cutoff, outlined with thin chains, with a raised dot in each corner. A dark blue bead is inset at centre. Extending from the bottom edge are seven chains with two beads: dark bead, and then a light blue with dark blue swirl; each with a 1 Kurus - Mehmed V coin beneath. The central pendant has an extra tear-drop light blue and dark blue bead at the bottom.

Narrative

This collection of North African (Berber) and Yemeni jewelry (3395/1-12) is said to have been purchased by the donor's parents in the 1990s, from bazaars in Tripoli, Libya.