Necklace

Older, traditional style, woman's body necklace.

Collected by Rudolf Kovanic in 1999, from a Maasai village bordering the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. Kovanic was in the area filming a wildlife series.

Round beaded neck ring with small rectangular panel at front; mounted on cow leather. Main body of necklace consists of thirteen strands of glass and seed beads in encircling rows, becoming successively smaller in size towards centre. Rows are (from interior to exterior): dark blue, dark red, alternating yellow and black, alternating yellow and black, orange, dark blue, white, alternating red and black, white, dark blue, red, and alternating black and white. Beaded semi-circles, with plain metal charms, protrude from either side of neck ring. Panel at front of necklace is decorated with two columns, divided by a small piece of wood; done in orange, dark blue, white, light green, and dark red. Columns have a repeating diamond motif through the centre with inverted triangles on either side. Circular metal charms extend from either side of panel; long beaded fringe, tipped with cowrie shells, extends from bottom edge. Necklace secures at back with two hook clasps; additional metal charms decorate edges around clasps. (Beaded fringe has mostly detached from necklace.)