ear-ornament
- Museum number
- Af1999,05.29.a-b
- Description
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Pair of circular ear-discs; wooden base with decoration in plastic or perspex. One side has central black band with red square in centre; with four rusted metal domes on black. Band is flanked by white stripes on each side. Green and red semi-circles make up remainder of decoration, each with single metal dome. Reverse has central translucent red band flanked by black stripes, with a white semi-circle on each side with green and red internal triangles.
- Production date
- 1950s-1990s
- Dimensions
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Height: 7.20 centimetres (each)
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Width: 6.90 centimetres (each)
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Depth: 1.90 centimetres
- Curator's comments
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See Collection File: Af1999,05.1-60 (formerly EthDoc 368).
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The wearing of ear-discs and plugs among the Zulu people of South Africa is an ancient practice, though changing fashions and the increasing availability of modern materials contributed to a fascinating evolution in the design of ear-discs from the 1920s to the present day.
The ghumbuzu ear-piercing ceremony celebrated the passage of Zulu children into adulthood, and until the late 19th century ear-plugs of bone or wood were worn by Zulu men as markers of national identity. During the 20th century, circular ear-discs worn in carefully enlarged holes in the ear lobes became fashionable among Zulu women, particularly from the Msinga district of KwaZulu Natal. In common with beadwork, ear-discs reflected regional identity through distinctive patterning and adherence to colour conventions such as the isishunka system characteristic of Msinga. Unlike beadwork however, ear-discs were generally made by male migrant workers in cities and therefore do not carry the personalised messages to be found on beadwork made by women for themselves.
See also a collection of Zulu beadwork acquired from Frank Jolles: Af1997,06.2-265.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1999
- Acquisition notes
- Af1999,05.1 to 61 were purchased from Professor Frank Jolles, and recorded as, "A collection of 99 decorated ear-discs of the type worn by Zulu women of South Africa. The discs were mostly made in the period 1950-1990, either in Johannesburg, Durban or smaller towns of the Msinga district of KwaZulu-Natal".
All the pieces were collected by vendor from reliable sources over four decades. and all of them have a detailed and accurate provenance.
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Af1999,05.29.a-b
- Additional IDs
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Previous owner/ex-collection number: 94.6.3.QHA.1/2. (Old Jolles collection number)