This very cool and magical bead was made in Kiffa, Mauritania. It is very old and was made as a female fertility charm, mainly by women artists. Historically, Kiffa beads are very important as its ancient technique (dating to 1000 years ago) made it one of the oldest glass bead-making processes in Africa, which was purely African in origin. This bead is around 200 years old, possibly older, and it has been enhanced sometime in the early 1900s (spruced up with paint of some sort--even the backside has been adorned with paint, something not typically found on most kiffa pendants); 26mm tall x 14mm wide x 11mm thick with a small 1mm hole. For more information check out issue #36 of Ornament Magazine.