# Pendant

- By: Kuba (Kasai region, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Central Africa)
- Date: 19th century
- Medium: Jute, raffia, cowrie shells, and beads
- Classification: Costume and Accessories
- Dimensions: 53.4 × 14 × 2.6 cm (21 × 5 1/2 × 1 in.)
- Culture: Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Credit line: Gift of Richard Faletti, the Faletti Family Collection
- Museum: [Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.artic.edu/artworks/148324)
- Rights: [Public domain (CC0)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- Picture: https://invisiblenetwork.ai/thumbs/web/2e70bcd7e18aed8334b274b3cf4a3fd7.jpg
- Who can see it: Tweens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

Since the inception of the Kuba Kingdom in the 16th century, individuals have signaled court rank and status with their elaborate dress. Glass beads imported from Europe and cowrie shells from the Indian Ocean have been used in the production of such accoutrements since the 18th century. Exclusively owned by men, bead- and shell-covered belts and pendants like this pre-1910 examples are still worn in combination with voluminous textile skirt-wrappers by both Kuba royalty and Kuba masqueraders. \[See also 1997.461\]

Description © Art Institute of Chicago, CC BY 4.0