The detail is too crisp and uniform for this to be a re-fired bead, I think the pitting occured with the final finish firing after the design had been applied, it looks as though something inside gave way and imploded! Nice necklace, aren't you worried about damaging these beauties? Thanks for showing, Thomas

I turn alot of heads when I wear a full necklace of Kiffa! Are any of your fabulous Kiffa strung for wearing? If so, can you show some? Thank you!

First thing I always do is unstring the Kiffas, they are only strung for sale to begin with. In situ the trianular shapes are worn at the temple in groups of three and the lozenges are historically found as part of bracelets or scapulars. The rounds and cylinders would have been worn as necklaces but try finding authentic visual evidence of how these were worn. The conical beads were also worn at the head as ends of tassels or? My dream is to see these worn, on the women they were made for, in the manner/fashion they were intended to be worn in.
I do have repros strung for wearing but sorry no pictures right now.

the women always have their heads covered so, you will not see their hair! I have been around alot of Maure women and have never seen them wear Kiffa. Their kiffa beads are stowed away like cherished treasure. Their cherished Morfias are mounted with gold and worn as jewelery. If, I had ever asked a older Mauritanian woman just to put the beads in her hair the way they are traditionally worn,she would. A younger woman would accept to do this also but, she would not know how they were traditionally worn. Personally, I can never forget the excitement I felt when, Maure women accepted to dig out their hidden treasured beads to show me! My heart would absolutely palpitate and i was never disappointed in seeing their beads! If, any of these happen to come on the market, its just because they needed the money!If not, these women absolutely love their beads, the better the bead, the more prestige and admiration given to the owner!

It could have been a bubble, but it looks as though it came from the hole. Possibly a mishap with whatever was used to keep the hole open. Using vegetative matter around which to form the paste would prevent this, but who knows in this specific example.

My reference to 're-firing' was not to suggest that the bead has been repaired after the original firing, but that it was definitely one of those beads that was a 'problem child' for the beadmaker. She looked at this after the initial firing, muttered something choice in her native tongue, and tried to salvage her work - No guarantees, but I've been there, and it's mighty likely.

On worries from wear: They were made to be worn, no? They are some of the most beautiful beads I've ever seen, and when people see them and are interested, it's a great tale to tell about where they come from and how they're made. We don't frequent too many mosh pits, and Kim absolutely treasures this piece, so not really.

The women who use/used them in the traditional sense would often break them to give to daughter or whomever, I don't think the maker ever attempted at fixing the "bubbles" I think they live with them the way they turn out, I have seen horrendous examples to absolute masterpieces, many with manufacturing flaws, they become a unique part of the character of the individual bead as you yourself noted, I think it's a great bead! As far as wearing them goes, I consider myself the caretaker of the beads I have collected and the Kiffas happen to be some of the more fragile beads I own, so I personally preffer them to not be strung and worn. I leave that choice to the owners of the beads. I again want to thank you for showing them, they are beautiful and your wife is a good cherrypicker! Thomas