Vintage boghdad (amulet) pendant from Mauritania

A small boghdad pendant with raised granulation and engraving. The central raised element is decorated with wood or bone.

References:

Fisher, A. (1998). Africa Adorned. New York: H. Abrams, pp. 218 & 222.

An amulet (hirz in Arabic) is an object worn by a person as a form of protection. It is believed to ward off all danger and protect the person from all harm. Often it will be combined with beads or worn on a chain as a piece of jewellery. Some amulets contain verses from the Qur'an as perceived added protection. The amulets in our collection include Tuareg tcherot, Yemeni prayer boxes, boghdad and Tuareg crosses.