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Source Description
Elite Xhosa women once wore beaded garments like this on festive occasions. Made almost completely from imported Venetian or Bohemian glass beads, they were overt status symbols. Imported beads functioned as money for the Xhosa between about 1770 and 1829. These garments’ female maker carefully selected beads of the highest quality, uniform in color, shape, and size. Made in the same shape as the pendant, a swallowtail-shaped apron (CMA 2010.206) worn under the skirt completed the ensemble.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
456948
label
Royal ceremonial beadwork: breast cover (incebetha)
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
456948
contentType
object
title
Royal ceremonial beadwork: breast cover (incebetha)
description
Elite Xhosa women once wore beaded garments like this on festive occasions. Made almost completely from imported Venetian or Bohemian glass beads, they were overt status symbols. Imported beads functioned as money for the Xhosa between about 1770 and 1829. These garments’ female maker carefully selected beads of the highest quality, uniform in color, shape, and size. Made in the same shape as the pendant, a swallowtail-shaped apron (CMA 2010.206) worn under the skirt completed the ensemble.
date
1800s
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q117247288
genreSpecific
Textile
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 94 x 29.8 cm (37 x 11 3/4 in.)
cul
Africa, Southern Africa, South Africa, Southeast Cape Region, Unknown female Xhosa-style maker(s)
accession
2022.49.b
Source extras
tec
Glass beads, hide, and sinew
tombstone
Royal ceremonial beadwork: breast cover (incebetha), 1800s. Africa, Southern Africa, South Africa, Southeast Cape Region, Unknown female Xhosa-style maker(s). Glass beads, hide, and sinew; overall: 94 x 29.8 cm (37 x 11 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Severance and Greta Millikin Trust, 2022.49.b
collection
African Art
didYouKnow
The beads to make an ensemble like this cost several cattle in the early nineteenth century, an amount most couldn't afford.
creditline
Severance and Greta Millikin Trust
updatedAt
2026-05-29 09:04:56.673000
sourceId
456948
dept
African Art
coll
African Art
med
Glass beads, hide, and sinew
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
93af09dbcb7ce76a