Accession Number2000/2.41
TitleArmlet
Artist(s)Object Creation Datecirca 1890-1920Medium & SupportbrassDimensions 6 5/16 in x 3 5/16 in (16.03 cm x 8.41 cm)
Credit LineGift of Dr. James and Vivian Curtis
Subject matterThis object is listed as made by Kirdi peoples; while most likely correct, it is not without issue. “Kirdi”, meaning pagan, was the label given to the various peoples from northern Cameroon, northeastern Nigeria, and southern Chad by neighboring Fulani and Kanuri peoples because they did not practice Islam, while the latter do. The people collectively known as “Kirdi” are actually many different cultural groups with their own customs. However, due to a lack of information on where exactly this object came from, it is not possible to say with certainty which group of people created it.
References Cited:
Gebauer, Paul. 1979.
Art of Cameroon. Portland, Or.: Portland Art Museum.
Lembezat, Bertrand. 1961.
Les populations païennes du Nord-Cameroun et de l'Adamaoua. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France.
Lembezat, Bertrand. 1952.
Mukulehe; un clan montagnard du Nord-Cameroun; coutumes, rites, croyances. Paris: Berger-Levrault.
Northern, Tamara. 1984.
The Art of Cameroon. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution.
Page, Donna. 2007.
A Cameroon World. New York: QCC Art Gallery Press.
Physical DescriptionBrass armlet with a central raised ridge. The top and bottom edge have a flat lip and are decorated with concentric arches in a scallop design, an undulating line and a series of diagonal lines.
Primary Object Classification Costume and Costume Accessories Primary Object TypearmletAdditional Object Classification(s)JewelryCollection AreaAfricanRightsIf you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit
http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Keywords
armlets
ceremonial costume
costume accessories
social status
symbols of office or status
wealth
women (female humans)