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...
View ArticleEar 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...
View ArticleHeadband
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...
View ArticleTriangle 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...
View ArticleMali 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.
View ArticleMali 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...
View ArticleEgg Beads
Woman in southern Morocco wear these enameled silver egg shaped beads called " Taguemout", which symbolize fertility.
View ArticleMoroccan 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...
View ArticleKhomissar
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....
View ArticleDouble 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...
View ArticleLove 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...
View ArticleLove 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...
View ArticleLove 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...
View ArticleEar 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.
View ArticleGold 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...
View ArticlePepetu 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...
View ArticleJocolo 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...
View ArticleJocolo, 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...
View ArticleMapoto 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....
View ArticleMapoto, 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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