Headband
| Culture | Abelam |
|---|---|
| Title | Headband |
| Date | Late 19th–20th century |
| Medium | Fiber, shells, cowrie shells, and and nassa shells |
| Dimensions | Object: 9 7/8 × 15 3/4 × 1/2 in. (25.1 × 40 × 1.3 cm) Overall: 9 7/8 × 15 3/4 × 1/2 in. (25.1 × 40 × 1.3 cm) |
| Credit Line | Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 71.80.2 |
| This artwork is currently on view. | |
A woven band with small shells sewn over the entire surface. It is an ovoid shape with three triangular appendages the center one would hang over the nose of the wearer.
Worn on the forehead by elder men at important community events, head bands like this example utilize the rare and highly valued nassa shells. Objects made of nassa shells were often used for ceremonial exchanges of wealth.
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
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Cite this page
"Headband | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=71.80.2