Ndebele Amaphotho or Woman's Apron

A small village in glass beads, worn at the waist.

This amaphotho, or woman's apron, is Ndebele, from South Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is made of glass and brass beads on leather. Among the Ndebele, a woman's beaded apron signaled her stage in life, marriage above all, and the patterns often echo the geometric designs of Ndebele painted houses. White bands form bold shapes on the dark leather. Small colored houses stand in a row on a blue strip near the bottom, above a beaded fringe. Twenty-five and a half inches long and 20 wide.

A public statement, made in one piece.