Earring

Object Details

Fulbe artist

Label Text

Married Fulbe women wear large gold earrings, called kwottenai, to display and reflect personal and family wealth. They are handed down from mother to daughter or are purchased by a husband as a gift to his wife. Because the Fulbe lead a nomadic life that is devoted to cattle herding and trading, most objects indicative of wealth and prestige must be portable.

These earrings are formed from gold bars that have been beaten into thin blades and are then twirled out from the anchor points. Often the blades are incised with figures, flowers or cattles. The mercantile value of these earrings is calculated by the weight of the gold, but the artistry of the goldsmith contributes greatly to the owner's prestige in possessing the earrings.

Description

Gold alloy earring of hammered gold formed into three lobes with gold loop wrapped in red fiber.

Exhibition History

Visionary: Viewpoints on Africa's Arts, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 4, 2017-ongoing

The Artistry of African Currency, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., March 12-July 23, 2000

History, Context, Materials: Selections from the Permanent Collection of the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 12, 1985-January 5, 1986

Patterns and Forms, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., August 20-September 16, 1984

Published References

Robbins, Warren M. and Nancy I. Nooter. 1989. African Art in American Collections. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, p. 531, nos. 1415-1416.

Credit Line

Acquisition funds donated by the Friends of the National Museum of African Art and by Robert and Nancy Nooter, and museum purchase

Mid-late 20th century

Object number

84-6-5.1

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Jewelry

Medium

Gold alloy, fiber

Dimensions

H x W x D: 7 x 8.3 x 5.7 cm (2 3/4 x 3 1/4 x 2 1/4 in.)

Geography

Mali

See more items in

National Museum of African Art Collection

Exhibition

Visionary: Viewpoints on Africa's Arts

On View

NMAfA, Second Level Gallery (2193)

Object Name

kwottenai

National Museum of African Art

Topic

Status

Adornment

Female use

male

Record ID

nmafa_84-6-5.1

Metadata Usage (text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys753932c3a-0a33-4dba-ab51-a54a0f71d8bc