Kiffa beads are one of the great craft traditions of West Africa, and the Kiffa market is the best place to buy them. Made from ground glass powder fused in clay moulds, each bead is individually decorated with tiny geometric patterns — diamond points, chevrons, and floral motifs — in white and yellow on a dark background. The technique is both ancient and technically demanding; few other bead traditions in the world produce the same level of decorative detail at such small scale.
The beads are traditionally worn by Moorish women as pendants and hair ornaments, and good pieces have been collectable objects in Europe since the 19th century. In the Kiffa market, traders sell a mix of antique pieces, used beads from family collections, and new work made by local craftswomen. Quality varies enormously; the finest pieces are expensive but genuine. Take time to compare examples, and note that the most elaborately decorated beads — often thumb-sized pendants with layered patterns — represent hours of work.