Fulani agate beads

Fulani Agates Necklace (Sokoto State, Nigeria)

The most precious jewel of a semi-nomadic Fulani woman from northern Nigeria was always her agate necklace. It doesn't matter that they have to work hard: they love to show them off, because this way they tell the world that their status is high and, in case of a catastrophe, they will always have them on hand to get them out of trouble.

In the past, the white fusiform beads arrived in the region following the caravan routes that came from the ports of the Indian Ocean, where the Omani merchants of Gwadar unloaded their merchandise. Then, during the time of the Sokoto Caliphate, they began to be manufactured in the region: first they were shaped with a hammer and chisel, and later they were polished on wet stones and drilled by hand. A strenuous job that Fulani women displayed with pride.

The necklace we present is made up of 18 fusiform polished agate beads between 20 and 60 mm in length and between 12 and 25 mm in diameter.

Weight: 285g