H x W x D: 2.2 x 3.8 x 1.9 cm (7/8 x 1 1/2 x 3/4 in.)
Type:
Jewelry
Geography:
Thatha village, Kenya
Date:
Mid-20th century
Label Text:
This is one of a pair of women's earrings in a style made by men and worn by older Kamba women. The wood is a variety of ebony known as mpingu. The inlaid metal is aluminum, obtained from discarded aluminum cooking utensils. This was collected near the village of Thatha, near Nairobi, in 1968.
Description:
Earring composed of a wood cylinder with outwardly slanting ends, inlaid with aluminum dots in an X pattern.
Provenance:
Norman and Mary Michie, Madison, Wisconsin, collected Thatha village, Nairobi, 1968 to 1981
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