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Maasai Necklace

Necklaces such as this one are worn on a daily basis, however, many necklaces are worn in layers as part of the wedding adornment. In this example, two necklaces are attached, the smaller one sitting...

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Ear Flaps

Only a Maasai married woman may wear these beaded ear flaps. Tribal custom states that her husband must never see her without them. They are made of glass seed beads on leather and are 6 inches long...

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Headband

The Maasai marriage is simple. The bride's head is shaved and anointed with lamb fat. Then bands of beautiful beadwork are placed on her head. The headdress is handed down from generation to generation...

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Triangle Earrings

Maasai men and women both wear multiple earrings and multiple ear piercings are common. These earrings are made of seed beads strung on wire, using buttons and dangling metal objects. This pair goes...

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Mali Wedding Beads

Mali wedding beads are made of molded glass in Czechoslovakia. Their teardrop shapes suggest the female figure and are fertility symbols. They are often worn for Mali wedding ceremonies.

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Mali Wedding Beads, detail

This detail of a Mali wedding necklace shows the seams left in the glass beads from the molding process. The beads are made in Czechloslovakia and then exported to Africa. In Mali, the teardrop shapes...

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Egg Beads

Woman in southern Morocco wear these enameled silver egg shaped beads called " Taguemout", which symbolize fertility.

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Moroccan Wedding Necklace

Brides in Morocco wear these large silver and amber necklaces. The silver beads, symbolizing purity and honesty, are hollow so the necklace is not as heavy as it looks. The amber is made of thermal...

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Khomissar

The Khomissar pendant is the gift of a mother to her daughter. The white shell is a fertility symbol worn by brides. Each diamond shape represents a stylized "Hand of Fatima" to protect against evil....

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Double Crescent Necklace

A "Muze" is a large crescent-shaped chest pendant worn in Somalia by the Harar Tribe as a valuable wedding dowry. Traditionally a muze is worn with amber and silver. For more information see p. 282 of...

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Love Letter I

Color coded messages (or love letters) are found in Zulu tab necklaces. Girls send messages that are prized by the young men who receive them. The message is often an invitation to courtship, but can...

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Love Letter II

Color coded messages (or love letters) are found in Zulu tab necklaces. Girls send messages that are prized by the young men who receive them. The message is often an invitation to courtship, but can...

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Love Letter III

Color coded messages (or love letters) are found in Zulu tab necklaces. Girls send messages that are prized by the young men who receive them. The message is often an invitation to courtship, but can...

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Ear Plugs

Married Zulu women wear ear plugs to "insure that ears of the mind may also hear". The plastic pieces used to make these ear plugs are cut from old vinyl records.

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Gold Earrings

Fulani married women wear gold earrings with a distinctive twist. The earrings are called "Kwottenai Kanye". The larger the earrings the more wealthy the bride. This pair has a 2 inch diameter. Several...

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Pepetu Apron

Ndebele women wear aprons to denote their status. An unmarried, but eligible lady, wears a rectangle with beaded geometric designs called " Pepetu". The base is goat skin completely covered with glass...

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Jocolo Apron

An Ndebele married woman wears a five-paneled beaded goatskin apron called a "Jocolo" on important ceremonial occasions. It is prepared for the woman by her husband and is worn plain for several months...

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Jocolo, detail

A detail of three of the beaded panels on a "Jocolo" apron worn by a married woman. These are approximately size 8 glass seed beads. The beads are attached in groups, not individually sewn down. There...

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Mapoto Apron

A two-panel beaded goatskin apron worn by married women. This is a less formal style than the Jocolo (also shown in this Collection). It has knotted and beaded fringes separating the 2 beaded panels....

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Mapoto, detail

Closeup of Ndebele beadwork on a Mapoto apron worn by a married woman. The colors and symbols of the design motifs are very important to the lady who makes and wears the apron. In a village the three...

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Mamuli, small

A small mamuli can be worn as a pendant or earring. This one is much less elaborate than the large Mamuli shown within this collection. The groom gives it to the bride as a wealth payment to her...

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Spiral Necklace

H'mong women in Guizhou, China, often wear multiples of this silver spiral necklace for special ceremonies such as weddings. They also wear elaborate silver headresses. For more information see...

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Spiral Necklace, detail

The detail shows how the silver spiral coil is formed from a continuous piece of silver.

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H'mong Bag

This bag, decorated with silver, is worn for special ceremonies. H'mong people consider attire to be a weapon of seduction and silver is a sign of wealth. The embroidery shows the skill of the woman...

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Wedding Brooch, large

Silver brooches are usually worn in pairs, one on either side at the lower corner of a square neckline on a woman's dress for a wedding or other special ceremony.

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Wedding Brooch, small

A smaller version of a silver Norwegian brooch. They are usually worn in pairs on the lower edge of a square neckline by a woman for a wedding or other special occasion.

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Coin Necklace

In India it is customary to give brides British coins that are then made into necklaces and worn at the wedding. These coins, strung on red cotton twine, range from 1919 to 1941 with most of them from...

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Mangalsutra

In the northern part of India a bride is given a Mangalsutra, a special marriage necklace composed of very small black seed beads called "Potti". Sometimes the "Potti" are strung with a pendant, like...

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Tali

In Southern India, a "Tali" or "Thali" wood pendant is the marriage symbol. It is strung on a saffron dyed cord.

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Breastplate

Both the bride and the groom wear a crescent-shaped breastplate for an Indonesian wedding. The breastplates are sometimes worn in multiples - one hanging down from the other with up to 5 in a vertical...

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Cuff Bracelet

An Indonesian bride will wear a cuff or a pair of cuff bracelets on her wedding day. This one is shown on a stand. It is 6 1/2 inches long and has gold wash embossed designs over a silver base.

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Mamuli, large

A Mamuli can be worn as a pendant or as an earring. The groom gives it to the bride as a wealth payment to her father's lineage. It is the custom on Simba Island, also known as Sandlewood Island,...

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Clove Necklace

Arab wives from Southern Iran to Yemen wear aromatic clove necklaces. The pleasing scent is considered attractive, having the same effect as perfume. Cloves, being expensive, symbolize wealth and an...

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Heirloom Necklace

In Afghanistan each generation adds a strand to the "Wedding" Necklace as it is passed down in the family. It is also called an "Heirloom" or "Generation" necklace. It is uniquely strung with a netted...

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Uzbekistan Wedding Necklace

This wedding necklace from Uzbekistan is loom-woven with larger glass seed beads and has a large silver center bead.

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Tilari

A "Tilari" is seven metal beads strung together on several strands of glass seed beads. The metal beads then look like one large bead instead of seven small ones. In this example, the seed beads are...

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Bachelor Hat

A small round fiber hat with a pair of Mother-of-Pearl drop earrings attached. This hat is worn by bachelor's and sits on the back of the head over a bun and ties under the chin. Married men wear a hat...

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Shell Lei

In Hawaii the Bridal party follows a very old custom of wearing seed pod and shell leis. Our example is similar to, but not as elaborate as a bride would wear.

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Kina Shell Necklace

Kina shells are often worn in multiples by a bride in Papua, New Guinea. The groom gives one to each member of the bride's family as payment for her hand in marriage (bride's price).

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Philippine Wedding Necklace

Called a "Sipattal", this Mother-of-Pearl and tiny glass seed beaded wedding necklace is worn by the Isneg Tribe on North Luzon Island in the Philippines. The seed beaded band is worn around the neck...

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Philippine Wedding Necklace, detail

A detail of the Philippine Wedding Necklace from North Luzon Island. This shows the Mother-of-Pearl triangular shape, 2 brass thimbles, small shells, glass seed beads and a large blue Peking glass...

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