E0131: Zulu, Isigege

Ethnographic

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Identifier:

E0131

Classification Category:

3:Personal Artifacts ➞ Clothing ➞ Accessory

Marks/Labels:

Printed tag: "Umutya. Bead dress for young ladies. Zululand. Presented by Mrs. Rev. H. Astrup, Zululand.

Materials:

botanical ➔ fiber
glass ➔ bead
Unidentified Materials

Dimensions:

113 cm L
5.5 cm W

Production Date:

Late 19th century to early 20th century

Use/Function:

Worn by young women and sometimes married women.

Source Locality:

Natal, South Africa

Acquisition Date:

1884 – 1920

Description:

This style of skirt is called izigege. One strip of woven beadwork on fiber thread. Zulu beadwork was worn by young women and sometimes married women; the colors of the beads have a meaning and the beads tell a story about a person.

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