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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.

Page data

Page
1
Source index
0
Type
photo
Media ID
93af09dbcb7ce76a
Size
unknown

Document data

ID
456948
Core
obj
Type
object
DTO data
{
    "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",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2022.49.b",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
        "Q117247288"
    ],
    "genreSpecific": [
        "Textile"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2022.49.b/2022.49.b_web.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2022.49.b/2022.49.b_web.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2022.49.b/2022.49.b_web.jpg",
    "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"
}

Context sent to Scholar

Document identity
{
    "localId": "456948",
    "label": "Royal ceremonial beadwork: breast cover (incebetha)",
    "core": "obj",
    "dtoType": "object"
}
Document 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",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2022.49.b",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
        "Q117247288"
    ],
    "genreSpecific": [
        "Textile"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2022.49.b/2022.49.b_web.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2022.49.b/2022.49.b_web.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2022.49.b/2022.49.b_web.jpg",
    "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"
}
Document 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.",
    "url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2022.49.b",
    "creditline": "Severance and Greta Millikin Trust",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-29 09:04:56.673000",
    "imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2022.49.b/2022.49.b_print.jpg",
    "sourceId": 456948,
    "dept": "African Art",
    "coll": "African Art",
    "med": "Glass beads, hide, and sinew",
    "thumbnail_url": null,
    "image_url": null
}
Page context
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