Bracelet
date: label: Date
content: 17th-18th century
name: label: Maker
content: Kongo artist
notes: label: Label Text
content: Cast bracelets with relief images were among the emblems of the Lemba cult. From the mid-17th century to the first decades of the 20th century, Lemba functioned in a number of Kongo groups in central Africa. Traces of the cult have also been documented in Haiti and Brazil. Although changing over time and place, this complex cult initially focused on healing. Its members were the elite of Kongo society, those successful in the trade of European goods, slaves and copper. Only married couples could join the cult. Bracelets were exchanged and were either worn or kept wrapped in palm fronds. Owners rubbed their bracelets wtih palm oil and redwood powder.
label: Description
content: Copper alloy bracelet composed of four figures, head-to-toe on the outer surface. One of the figures has breasts and arms at the sides, the other three figures are holding staffs down the center of the body with the left hand over the right. The bracelet is solid cast copper alloy with dark reddish-brown patina.
label: Provenance
content: Ernst Anspach, New York, -- to 1988
label: Exhibition History
content: From Slavery to Freedom, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Cincinnati, July 2004-October 2007
label: Published References
content: Herbert, Eugenia. 1984. Red Gold: Copper Arts of Africa. South Hadley, Massachusetts: Mount Holyoke College Art Museum, p. 4, no. 100.
label: Content Statement
content: As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
label: Image Requests
content: High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
place: label: Geography
content: Democratic Republic of the Congo
label: Geography
content: Congo
title: label: Object Name
content: <I>nlunga lemba</I>
topic: label: Topic
content: Human
label: Topic
content: male
label: Topic
content: female
label: Topic
content: Healing
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African Art Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Ernst Anspach
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African Art
identifier: label: Object number
content: 88-7-2
objectType: label: Type
content: Jewelry
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Copper alloy
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 1.8 x 9.5 x 9.5 cm (11/16 x 3 3/4 x 3 3/4 in.)