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Royal Belt (yet)
possibly early 1900s
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland, United States
Attributed to Kuba peoples of southeast Democratic Republic of Congo, this prestige belt boasts superb craftsmanship. The accumulation of a variety of materials indicates the high status of its wearer. It is made from leather strips and finely accessorized with a combination of intricately patterned bead designs, cowries, seashells, and bells. It would have been worn over a large raffia skirt by a man during ceremonial occasions. It was acquired from the Belgian dealer Jacques Hautelet in 1994.
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Details
- Title: Royal Belt (yet)
- Date Created: possibly early 1900s
- Physical Dimensions: Overall: 139.5 cm (54 15/16 in.)
- Provenance: Jacques Hautelet, La Jolla, CA, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Type: Garment
- Rights: CC0
- External Link: https://clevelandart.org/art/1994.87
- Medium: Plant fiber, rawhide or leather, glass beads, seashells, cowrie shells, cloth, and colorant
- Fun Fact: Cowry shells, a type of currency used in the Kuba Kingdom in Central Africa, decorate this belt made for a king. The intricate patterns and colors of the beads indicate the high status of the wearer as well as the wealth of his kingdom.
- Department: African Art
- Culture: Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kuba Kingdom, Kuba maker
- Credit Line: John L. Severance Fund
- Collection: African Art
- Accession Number: 1994.87
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