Bracelet, Currency, Aluminum : 2015.3.23

Title:

Woman's Aluminum Ankle Bracelet

Object Name:

Bracelet, Currency, Aluminum

Other Name:

Woman's, Ankle

Place of Origin:

Loma (Toma), Liberia / Guinea, Africa

Provenance:

Aboriginal Indigenous Art.

Possibly a currency bracelet. Currency bracelets were used mostly for storage of wealth and for the display of wealth, or in major transactions due to their great value.

Metal was highly valued throughout Africa, and, as with most African metal items, pieces that were originally created for an entirely different purpose became viewed as wealth over time and then used as currency in trade for a wide variety of items.

Currency items were used between the 16th and 19th century, until the early 1900's when the British government sought to establish their own currency and therefore forbade the use of any other.

Description:

Womans aluminum ankle bracelet. Circular bracelet, with flat ends that stop just short of touching. Several small face—like designs adorn bracelet, in various places.

Collection:

Marianne Keown Collection

Material:

Aluminum

Used:

Domestic Use

Technique:

Metalsmithing

Owned:

Art Department, Missouri Southern State University

Accession#:

2015.3.23