The Tuareg inhabit the vast Saharan regions of North Africa particularly Niger, Mali Burkina Faso, and Libya. Tuareg is an Arabic term meaning abandoned by God however they call themselves Imohag meaning ‘free men’. The most striking feature of the Tuareg is the indigo veil worn by men giving rise to them being called ‘the Blue Men of the Sahara’. For centuries they have exerted great influence on the Saharan region by controlling trans-Saharan trade routes and participation in the pastoral economy. Tuareg jewellery is full of symbolism and is attached to tradition. For example, ‘/////’ This design symbolises the movement of the wind on the sand in the Sahara. A guide in the desert will follow the direction of the lines in the sand to avoid walking head on into the wind.
Cattle, thought to be from the Middle East, were introduced to North Africa 8,000 years ago Their populations spread south, adapting along the way and thus began African pastoralism. Throughout the traditional and cultural history of Africa, the cow remains one of the most important animals. Acknowledged as a symbol of strength and masculinity to a symbol of wealth, fertility and authority, cow horns are the most valuable, significant and important part of the cow. Their horns were used in the royal court of the Akan (the largest ethnic group in Ghana) for various traditional and cultural reasons.
Bone beads have a long history on the African continent. Bone is one of several natural materials that have been available in Africa for millennia including wood, stone, and clay. Bone beads have been made throughout the African continent including East, West, and even South Africa. Bone is unique among bead making materials due to both its strength and because it can be carved by hand and polished into many different shapes and sizes.
All stock ships from the Gold Coast in Queensland. The standard order processing time is 1 – 3 business days. By placing an order for goods you agree that your details, such as name, contact numbers, delivery address can be passed to those third-party couriers. While we aim to get your order delivered to you within 5 – 10 working days, in the unlikely event of extended delays, we will endeavor to inform you. Any questions or follow up regarding delivery can be directed by email to info@empiresofthesun.com.au.
All deliveries will require a signature to ensure the parcel arrives in the hands of the correct person. This cost is included in the delivery fee. Empires of the Sun cannot be held responsible for late or failed deliveries for reasons outside our control e.g. third-party couriers or in the case of adverse weather conditions. Empires of the Sun inspects and takes due diligence while packing your order to ensure it arrives in the best possible condition. All orders must be inspected upon delivery and any breakages must be reported and photographed within 24 hours of receiving your order.
Please enquire about your specific delivery timeframes prior to purchase if you require express shipping.
Empires of the Sun designs hand-crafted items using unique and antique materials. Each piece may be crafted by many hands, from artisans all over the world. Because of this, each piece contains imperfections due to its handmade nature. To us, it's perfectly imperfect.
We make every effort to portray our goods as 'true to life' as possible. However, due to image photography, compression, different screen resolutions and displays, some colours might be slightly different. To have the best indication of true colour, please ensure you view all images and any accompanying videos. If for some reason you are unhappy with your purchase, please contact us via info@empiresofthesun.com.au or Facebook.
We do not accept returns for 'change of mind' sales. We will accept refunds for broken and damaged items as long as the items are returned to us. We stand by our craftsmanship, and in the unlikely case that your jewellery breaks due to craftsmanship issues, we will repair and return it to you free of charge. However, if any breakages occur due to dropping, impact damage or any cause outside of craftsmanship, no returns will be accepted.
Please feel free to contact us at info@empiresofthesun or on Facebook for more information.
