The Tuareg are fiercely independent nomadic people. On the move with their herds and camels over vast areas of the southern Sahara, they produce no masks or figures but instead create an impressive world of traditional, abstract, beautiful, functional objects of leather, wood and metal.
Wood was carved into posts of many inventive forms, all intricately covered with geometric designs. Two matching Igem posts were erected outside each Tuareg family's tent to mark or locate the entrance flap and enhance the doorway.
Although the wood is extremely hard, some of the Igem posts have eroded ends, splits, cracks or missing chips. We have photographed all four sides of each and the small flaws are highlighted in the details.