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Necklaces (Imankeek)

A work made of beads and wire.

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  • A work made of beads and wire.

Date:

20th century

Artist:

Maasai
Kenya or Tanzania
Eastern and Southern Africa

About this artwork

This collar is made of three separate necklaces stacked together. It is worn in combination with other beaded jewelry, such as headbands and bracelets. The colorful beads signal wealth, status, and good health. Girls and married women wear imankeek during dances that make the jewelry rhythmically flap up and down. The pieces shown here highlight the symbolic triad of colors used in historical Maasai beadwork: white, red, and blue.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Maasai

Title

Necklaces (Imankeek)

Place

Kenya (Object made in:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1900–1999

Medium

Beads and wire

Dimensions

overall: 40.1 × 38.8 × 2 cm (15 3/4 × 15 1/4 × 3/4 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of the Michael R. Mack Collection

Reference Number

2024.379a-c

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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