Woman's Necklace

Today the Maasai are best known for their brightly colored and highly decorative beadwork, but these rare necklaces provide a glimpse into a jewelry design that was favored a century ago. The two round shells (see 2023.1376) symbolize breasts and represent the fertility of a woman in her childbearing years, who would have worn the necklace as a mark of pride and honor. Some older women still wear this version with one circle—also as a badge of respect and maturity, but as a grandmother or great-grandmother to be admired for her familial contributions and guidance. Only female artists created this style of jewelry.