woman's headdress

This headdress functioned as a removable wig; when positioned on a woman�s head the front piece, with short strands of plant fiber looked like bangs, and the longer strands of twisted plant fiber would cascade down the neck and shoulders of the wearer. The headdress is created on a single piece of dark cotton duck cloth. The cloth is cut in a T-shape and the edges are frayed � in some areas up to approximately 1/4-inch. The top-front part of the T-shaped fabric is decorated with multiple bundles of 1 1/2-inch long plant fiber. A bundle is created by folding a group of 3-inch long plant fibers in half and tightly tying this center point with a separate plant fiber. The fibers then fan out in all directions. Each bundle is secured to the foundation fabric with a knot. The result is a compact covering imitating short hair. A piece of twill tape is tied through each of the two corners facing the beadwork. This was likely used to secure the headdress to the head of the wearer.

The lower section of the T-shaped fabric is wide and functions as the support for a central spine of beads, strands of beads, and plied plant fiber on either side. The central spine of plant fiber and beads begins directly behind the top-front section. The thickest part of this spine begins at the top center; here it is 1 3/4-inch wide and 1-inch thick. This element is 15 1/2-inches long and tapers to nothing towards the bottom of the headdress. The three-dimensional structure is wrapped with plant fiber, and it is difficult to discern if the interior material is different from the material used to wrap the spine. Sometimes roots of the baobab tree were used, but no roots were observed in the short bundles of plant fiber, so it is difficult to say that the roots were used in the spine with any certainty. On top of the plant fiber wrapped spine is a layer of white, blue and red beads. Initially the beads were woven together and then tacked to the spine with cotton or linen thread (the thread might have been waxed). At the bottom of the tapering spine there are four pieces of fringe covered in white beads. There is also a looped strand of circular off-white and red beads attached to the bottom of the spine.