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Artwork Details
2 x 1-1/8 x 1/4 in.
Accession NumberGift of Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Eiteljorg
Copyright(Mourtala Diop, New York and Dakar,Senegal) sold on November 8, 1978 to Harrison Eiteljorg [1903-1997] of Indianapolis, Indiana; given to the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields in 1989.
Although sculpture representing animal and human forms is almost non-existent among such Muslim peoples as the Tukulor, Wolof and Peul, their accomplishments in other arts such as weaving, leatherwork, gourd decoration and jewelry are noteworthy.
Jewelry items such as this example form an important part of a woman's personal prestige and wealth. Most are composed of silver alloy parts that are soldered together, then gilded, that is, covered with a gold wash. This technique and some stylistic elements of this type of jewelry are part of a centuries-old tradition found in Western Africa, Northern Africa and the Mediterranean world. The similarities of technique and style of the Wolof and Tukulor jewelry from Senegal illustrate this fact. This shared metalworking tradition has been brought about by trade and other interaction across the Sahara Desert.
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