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Encyclopedia ID 1380

Tifinagh Letter Puzzle

Also known as Tifinagh · ⵜⵉⴼⵉⵏⴰⵖ

Tifinagh Letter Puzzle: photograph by Serg!o
Photo: Serg!o, CC BY 2.0 es, source on Wikimedia Commons

Match geometric Tifinagh signs to sounds, then assemble short place and everyday words, finally carving them on a rock slab.

Heritage note

Part of the living heritage of Niger, Morocco, Libya. Some forms of this practice carry deep meaning for the communities who keep it; here we describe the play and the craft only, with respect for its roots.

Origins

Usually placed in the era of Age of Contact and Craft (about 1500 to 1800), although its exact origins are uncertain, within the cultural world of Africa: Sahel, West and Central.

Sources

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