Northwestern Sahara desert, Kassena (Ghana), ca. early 20th century CE. A beautiful Hombori marble bracelet presenting with a thick band, a smooth, rounded exterior, and a conversely rough interior. This gorgeous bangle is naturally adorned in a hue of deep black with one broad white line across both sides, and a few softer white striations throughout. The much coveted Hombori marble is mined by the local villagers of Hombori mountain in Mali at quarry sites owned by each village chief. Considered both dangerous and sacred, miners often sacrifice a chicken or sheep before their dig to insure a bountiful yield and a safe return. Though the bracelets were initially made by the local villagers and then traded, the tradition has now spread to many groups throughout western Africa and the Sahara Dessert. These bracelets are believed to serve as good luck charms and have apotropaic capabilities. According to one craftsman, "Everyone wears a bracelet because one knows that, with it on arm, one risks nothing." Size: 4.125" W (10.5 cm); (wrist opening): 2.75" W (7 cm)
Similar examples can be found in the Peabody Museum of Art and Archaeology under accession number 988-18-50/12432 and Christopher D. Roy's "Art of the Upper Volta Rivers" (1987), p. 80. The information on Hombori marble, as well as the quote from the craftsman, was found in the article "Stone Bracelet Production in Mali" by Anne Carmagnani and Pailler Yvan (2009, 'Internet Archaeology', 10.11141/ia.26.16).
Provenance: ex-Davis collection, Houston, Texas, acquired before 2013 from various auction houses in London and New York
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#140030
Condition
Wearable as shown. Light surface abrasions and nicks along interior surfaces, otherwise intact and very good. Nice luster throughout.