A digital archive showcasing the extensive collection of jewellery and adornment images shared on the former Ethnic Jewels Ning site over the years. These images have significantly enriched discussions on cultural adornment and its global dispersion.

From the Sahel and beyond.

African necklace of bone, stone, ivory, brass, coral, amber and shell. Components collected throughout the Sahel and further.Probably assembled on the coast, evidenced by the wire stringing.Many thanks to africantradebeads.com for the detailed identification.
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Comments

  • which are the amber beads?

  • There are two - just small ones. Not easy to see on this photo, one on the right hand side of the longer strand, about 5 bone beads back from the long narrow one (I believe this has a name but I can`t remember it). The other is on the left of the inner strand above the brass bell beads and behind the heishi - shows as a small dark bead. They are both of a honey amber identified as likely to be mauritanian.

    The necklace is perfumed - sandalwood I think.

  • so the flat discs are ostrich eggshell.

    is the ivory the largest white oval-ish bead at the front, or is that a piece of shell?

  • the heishi - yes.

    Even after repeated examination of the necklace I am hazy as to which is the ivory. I think it`s Richard of africantradebeads who has said that some of the beads are likely to be bush pig ivory. The white bead is shell as you suggest.

    Although identified as such, I`m a little doubtful about the coral. There are so many clever fakes of it.

    I will add a close up of the amber beads.

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