Belt (Yeemy Mambolmashet)
Kuba
1801–1900
- Medium
- Jute, raffia, cowrie shells, and beads
- Dimensions
- 223.5 × 13.3 × 1.3 cm (88 1/4 × 5 1/4 × 1/2 in.)
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Tags
beadsregaliacostume accessoryCentral Africabeading (process)cowrie shellgeometricstatuskuba (democratic republic of congo styleafrican Artarts of Africaraffiabelts (costume accessory)jutenatural fiberwealthweaving
About
In the Kuba Kingdom, ceremonial occasions require ostentatious displays of wealth and status through dress and other attributes. Specialized male artists excel in the making of beaded regalia like the belt displayed here. They sew both beads and shells onto a woven raffia foundation to create geometric designs. The interlaced pattern on this belt, called imbol, is a favorite Kuba motif that can also be seen on the raffia skirts worn with such beaded ornaments.
