The rings that represented some fighter on horseback were used by warriors, knights or “military heads” and carried during ceremonial rituals and prayers. In the nomadic population of Berbers and Turks, chiefs and high-ranking guests used elongated silver rings as tobacco holders. Silver, adored by artisans in rural areas and nomadic tribes, represents purity and honesty. They were represented in the necklaces because they represented the social importance of the wearer, only the highest dignitary sat in the assemblies, on the buffalo skull. The buffalo were respected animals for their strength and cunning. The bronze necklaces were decorated with buffalo skulls. Others took enriched bells and colored stones in each part, with great symbology and giving wealth to the wearer, while in the tribe of Liberia the ankles in bronze are part of the dowry of the wife.
In Côte d’Ivoire some large brass bracelets were used in the sanctuary, as a means of divinity and as a means to communicate with spirits. In the nomadic population of the Niger, younger girls wore bronze anklets engraved with Islamic motifs, and the heavier they were, the more attractive they seemed to men. The technique of fusion allowed great freedom and fantasy in the execution of the jewels and decorations. Image: Mundo Étnicoīronze is another of the materials used in African jewelry.
In significant celebrations the “disc of the soul” was carried, which was destined to nobles and priests with the aim of purifying the soul of the chief. Gold jewelry was used in rites and parties, such as bracelets, belts, necklaces and hair ornaments, rings were worn on each toe and hands. Senegalese goldsmiths became experts in the manipulation of gold in jewelery, combining African and European influences, thus creating unique pieces that were replicated in European markets for centuries. The larger the dish indicates the symbol of more wealth, since it represents the number of layers of cattle that the woman’s family has. It is made in firewood, terracotta or ivory, and can measure up to 20 centimeters in diameter. This practice is very common in the tribes of Ethiopia and is an instrument that serves to reinforce the mouth, where the word and traditions are transmitted. Jewelry and materialsĪmong the most common ornaments is the lip dish placed on the lower lip of the woman before her marriage. Whereas in other ancient civilizations the jewels indicated the social status, in Africa the jewelery is used as a symbol of the one that has more strength or greater ability. Feathers, teeth, even skulls of small animals are used together with minerals and metals to create the most typical elements of African jewelry that looked and still shines in this territory.īoth men and women wore and still wear jewelry and characteristic ornaments, especially for dance in marriage rituals men dance covered in jewelry in a competition that leads the youngest woman to choose the most handsome among them.