Tribalgh
Tuareg Leather Sahara Nomad Purse – Vintage Ethnic Niger Wallet
Tuareg Leather Sahara Nomad Purse – Vintage Ethnic Niger Wallet
Item number:
SKU:SD-30940
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Tuareg Leather Sahara Nomad Purse – Vintage Ethnic Wallet
Discover this authentic old Tuareg leather purse/wallet, hand‑crafted by nomadic artisans from Niger in the heart of the Sahara. This piece carries generations of tribal history and wear, with visible repairs and damage, an indicator of its unique age and story. Not suitable for everyday use.
- Length: 8 ½″ (22 cm), including fringe
- Width: 2 ¾″ (6.5 cm), including fringe
The outer leather cover slides up along its hand‑woven strings to reveal the inner structure: three overlapping flaps that conceal four separate pocket sections, an ingenious design used by Tuareg nomads to carry small essentials around the neck.
Why This Ethnic Sahara Piece Matters
This purse is more than leather, it’s a slice of Tuareg nomadic culture. These desert tribes relied on camel caravans as the backbone of trans‑Saharan trade for centuries. Tuareg leatherwork, along with metal jewelry, intricately decorated saddles, and finely crafted swords, was both utilitarian and artistic.
About the Tuareg Tribe & Their Leather Art
The Tuareg are Berber-speaking Saharan nomads, historically noted in the works of Herodotus. Over the past 2,000 years, various clans migrated south from northern Africa, settling in cities bordering the Sahara, places that were once vibrant trade hubs. While many now practice Islam, their culture remains distinct and non‑Arabic.
Their leather artisanship is legendary: items are made from locally tanned hide, cut, stitched, and sometimes dyed using traditional vegetal methods. Each symbol or motif woven into the leather tells a story, whether spiritual, tribal, or functional. Leather goods served alongside jewelry, metal saddle decorations, and swords as key forms of cultural expression.
Collector’s Note
This fragile, aged piece is ideal for collectors or cultural curators. Its damage and repairs only enhance its authenticity and historical value.
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