Belt (Yeemy Mambolmashet)
Kuba
19th century
Medium
Jute, raffia, cowrie shells, and beads
Dimensions
223.5 × 13.3 × 1.3 cm (88 1/4 × 5 1/4 × 1/2 in.)
Classification
belts (costume accessory)
Department
Arts of Africa
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
148326
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
In the Kuba Kingdom, ceremonial occasions require ostentatious displays of wealth and status through dress and other attributes. Specialized male artists excel in the making of beaded regalia like the belt displayed here. They sew both beads and shells onto a woven raffia foundation to create geometric designs. The interlaced pattern on this belt, called imbol, is a favorite Kuba motif that can also be seen on the raffia skirts worn with such beaded ornaments.