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.

The beads are strung onto wire that produce a firm structural base. The six dividers are bone (likely cow bone) that have been carved into long, narrow lengths, with 18 small holes bored through each one, to hold the wire beaded strands in a uniform circle.

Round beaded neck ring consisting of eighteen strands of glass beads in encircling rows, becoming successively smaller in size towards centre. Rows are (from interior to exterior): yellow, yellow, red, red, red, red, red, white, white, white, white, blue, blue, blue, blue, orange, orange, and orange. Thin pieces of bone(?) placed intermittently across neck ring to hold beads in place. Space between two pieces of bone, at front of necklace, has a band pattern made up of horizontal and vertical stripes; done in same colours as rest of neck ring. Necklace secures at back with a large hook clasp.