Ethiopian Shield-Form Ornamental Disc

Plum-dark and smooth, with a tall peg and four holes placed with care.

This shield-form ornamental brass disc is from Omo Valley, Ethiopia, East Africa, and dates to the 20th century. Peoples of the Omo Valley in southwestern Ethiopia are widely known for body adornment, and metal ornaments often help express age, status and community. Round plate with a smooth central peg that rises to a rounded tip. Four holes sit at the left, right and lower right. The surface is a rich purple-brown with a faint sheen, and a double row of fine dots circles the edge. It is 0.7 inches deep and 4.5 in diameter.

Dark, composed and perfectly content with a single peg.