Title: Blue Beaded Pectoral Ornament
Material: Conch shells, glass, bone & bronze beads
People: Konyak & Naga - "Naga" translates as "naked," due to the
scant dress of most of the approximately 20 tribes.
Country: Nagaland is a remote mountainous region located in the
farthest reaches of North-Eastern India bordering Myanmar
(old Burma). It is one of the few places in the world where
indigenous tribal groups and customs remain intact.
Description: Though little is known about the origins & history of
the Naga people, the jewelry and beadwork for which
they are known have been considered by some scholars
to be the “most beautiful, elaborate ornamentations of
any tribal culture”. For the Naga, their ornamentations
are not mere decoration – they’re a part of the wearer’s
identity and that of the tribe to which the wearer belongs.
Each jewelry item was made to represent something
about the man or woman wearing it and is a sign of the
owner’s wealth.
Dimensions: 16" width x 2 1/2" depth x 30" Inner circumference, 66" outer circumference
