Handmade Kiffa Glass Bead Earrings with Sterling Silver & Leather

Handmade Kiffa Glass Bead Earrings with Leather & Sterling Silver

Celebrate the legacy of African craftsmanship with these stunning earrings featuring new polychrome Kiffa glass beads from Mauritania. Expertly handcrafted, each bead showcases vibrant, multicolored patterns, suspended from fine leather cord and finished with 925 sterling silver hooks for a refined boho style.

• Bead Size: 12 - 13 mm diameter
• Total Earring Length (with hooks): 79 mm (3 1/8")

These Kiffa beads are not just decorative – they are art forms molded from Mauritania’s proud traditions. Entirely handmade by skilled women artisans, they are created using the time-honored method of powdered glass and natural binding agents, shaped meticulously by hand and fired in small clay containers without molds.

History and Value of Kiffa Beads

Kiffa beads, also known as Murakad or Kiffa glass beads, originated in the town of Kiffa in southeastern Mauritania. These beads are prized for their brilliant designs and deep cultural significance. Historically crafted by women using secret, inherited techniques, they were often used as dowries, heirlooms, and symbols of wealth and status. While older Kiffa beads are rare and highly collectible, even recent pieces carry immense artisanal and cultural value.

Whether worn or collected, these earrings offer a tangible link to Africa's enduring artistic legacy.

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