The centre of traditional Algerian carpet-making is Ghardaia, in the northern Sahara. Carpets made in the traditional way have become luxury items, and are imitated all over the world. The weavers blend coloured yarns of soft, warm wool into patterns that vary from region to region. One of the best-known patterns is a broad cross (the cross of the Souf) set against a subtly-shaded background.

Algerian jewellery and woodcarving draw on both Arab and Berber styles. Because of their travelling lifestyle, desert nomads have always specialised in light, portable art-objects, such as pendants, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, swords, and daggers. Tuareg sabres (sharp, curved swords) are up to 90cm long and are often made of steel that has been reclaimed from broken-down vehicles. The sabres are prized by collectors world-wide for their elegant shape and intricate, hand-engraved decorations (no two are the same). The blades are protected by camel-skin sheaths, and the handles usually contain a small detachable dagger.

Useful objects like musical instruments, coffeepots and teapots can also be highly ornate, reflecting the tradition of painstaking decorative art that is common to Arab and Berber culture. Esparto grass, a thin needlegrass that grows in parts of the Sahara, has been used since prehistoric times to make ropes, baskets, and sandals.

Traditionally, the Algerian nomadic groups trade their art for other goods, rather than selling them for money.