Jewelry from the Savannah Region
Stretching from the Atlantic coast of the Senegal to lake Chad in central Africa, the West African Savannah region separates the Sahara Desert from the equatorial rain forest belt. It is home to farmers and herders. It is also in the heart of the trade routes between north and west Africa.
One group, the Dogon people of Mali live high up in the Bandiagara Escarpment, a row of cliffs that run 125 miles from northeast to southwest and parallel to the Niger River. The cliff-dwelling Dogon live there to protect themselves from attacks from other groups and most are farmers. The simple jewelry produced by these people is steeped in the powers of myth and each piece represents some tie to real and mystical ancestors. They produce necklaces made of iron and copper alloy and most jewelry is worn based upon religious beliefs as opposed to sheer personal adornment.
The people of the Savannah region value gold and use it extensively. Hair sculpture is en vogue and after being greased with butter, the hair is decorated with glass beads and metals. This is a sign of a woman’s status and reflects the different stages of her life.
Jewelry from the Equatorial Rain Forest Region
Southern Nigeria is home to the Yoruba, just one of the groups in the kingdom of Benin. Ivory is plentiful here and highly valued for its lustrous beauty and magical powers. Once only worn by kings, ivory is still reserved for people of importance. Intricately carved brass hip ornaments are also worn by the royalty of Benin. In this fertile beautiful place, ‘Oba’(the king) rules and through the wearing of these bronze casted ornaments, is celebrated by his subjects. The lost wax method of bronze casting began in the 13th Century by the Yoruba. This process involves modeling a form out of beeswax and coating it with clay. When dry, the piece is heated and melted wax is poured through the vents into a hollow mold. The clay is broken away when the piece cools. One of the most interesting pieces produced this way are wide bracelets worn by the women. Made of thin plait brass, these bracelets are so wide as to limit movement but are worn by the women for several years. The curious reason for this—the limted movement aspect makes the women appear to be swiveling their hips—all designed to attract men!
The Yoruba are, like the other African groups, highly religious. Their religion has many spirits known as orishas. Their jewelry is crafted and worn to protect against evil spirits.
Whether you collect African jewelry from these three regions or others throughout Africa, one thing all African jewelry has in common is its magnificent beauty which is characterized by attention to detail, innovative design, and lots of bold exciting color. Surely every African jewelry collection is a treasured source of enjoyment and inspiration, both when worn for personal adornment or on display in one’s home.
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Article Reference: The History and Aesthetics of African Jewelry
by Lucille Camera
