H x W x D: 40.6 x 7 x 2.1 cm (16 x 2 3/4 x 13/16 in.)
Type:
Jewelry
Geography:
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Date:
Mid-20th century
Label Text:
Kuba male specialists fabricated prestige regalia decorated with beads and shells. Cowrie shells specifically selected for their size and color were attached to the raffia cloth foundation in rows or in geometric patterns through the use of intricate knotting techniques. Today as in the past, most regalia is worn for ceremonies that accompany the installation of chiefs and other titled officials, dances held for funeral and initiation rituals, and the visits of honored guests to the community. Such items of prestige continue to be traded throughout the Kuba region and beyond the kingdom's borders to neighboring chiefdoms.
Description:
Rectangular piece of cloth covered with evenly spaced rows of cowrie shells surrounded by a border of beaded decoration. Two string ties are sewn to each end of the object.
Provenance:
Pierre Loos, Brussels, Belgium, -- to 1999
Exhibition History:
The Art of African Currency, International Monetary Fund, Washington, D.C., April 4-November 22, 2002
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