Tribal Jewelry Customs and Beliefs

Oldest Jewelry Discovered

The oldest jewelry known to date was discovered in Blombos Cave located on the coast of South Africa. The cave was the site of beads made from the shells of a sea snail and punctured with small holes so they could be strung on a necklace. These shell beads have been dated to around 75,000 years, and tribal jewelry has played an important role in African culture ever since.

Tribal Jewelry Materials

Tribal Jewelry has traditionally been constructed from natural materials such as ivory, resin, horn, bone, seeds, wood, shells, animal teeth and claws, metal, hair, and stone. These materials have been used to create chokers, necklaces, rings, earrings, anklets, bangles, bracelets, and belts, which have been used in a variety of ways.

Early Uses of Jewelry

Jewelry was used for personal adornment and as the medium of exchange in the earliest trading that took place between Africa and Asia. Cowrie shells were used as a form of money, and necklaces and belts made of cowrie shells were considered to be extremely valuable. The shape of the cowrie shell caused it to be associated with woman’s spirituality and fertility, and cowrie belts and necklaces were used in religious ceremonies. The women in some tribes wore ankle bracelets made of seed beads while performing ritual dances to celebrate a young woman’s coming-of-age, and tribes in South Africa wore bracelets made of elephant hair to honor their gods and the strength of the elephant. Some elephant hair bracelets were designed with four knots, believed to represent the four elements of air, earth, fire, and water.

Egypt’s Contributions

The Egyptians were the first to create beads using a wide variety of materials. They didn’t limit their use to jewelry, and their beaded art adorned belts, sandals, and clothing. Egyptian beads and jewelry eventually traveled along early trade routes and their influence spread throughout the rest of Africa, Europe, and Asia.

Other Tribal Jewelry Uses

Tribal jewelry has been an integral part of African culture, used in dancing, religious rituals, as a sign of wealth and status, as a form of money, as burial offerings, and for personal adornment. The jewelry used for ornamentation in West Africa was traditionally used to tell a story. These articles were created according to sacred tradition, with each bracelet, pendant, knot or bead having a spiritual significance. Tribal jewelry was used for protection and strength, to display tribal identity, and to represent the wearer’s history and status. Royalty in ancient Egypt wore ostrich shell necklaces as a symbol of their status, while a groom in Ghana gave his bride a beaded belt on their wedding day, which she continued to wear afterward to denote her married status. Superstition also played a role in the use of tribal jewelry, with some tribes believing that certain beads and other materials had magical powers. An amulet was worn by the mother of twins in West Africa to celebrate her twins’ power and magic, and tribes in Mali and Ivory Coast believed that copper had strong, protective powers.

African Tribal Jewelry Today

African tribal jewelry has a rich tradition that continues to this day. Bracelets, belts, and anklets are still worn by dancers to accentuate each body movement. The manila, a bracelet made of hammered copper and commonly used in the 11th century, is still worn in Africa today. All around the world African tribal jewelry is used to enhance personal beauty and express cultural diversity while displaying the artistry of African craftsmen.