Antique Fulani Manilla Currency Bracelet, West Africa (3165)

Description

The Fulani are the most numerous nomadic people on earth and one  of West Africa’slargest ethnic groups. They have created metal arm and ankle bracelets for centuries as symbols of wealth and status, adornments, ceremonial objects, and for barter. Their bracelets are present throughout West Africa. As Muslims, they cannot use figural designs and instead use abstract geometric designs.  During Africa’s colonization in the 1500s, the British, French and Dutch copied African bracelets and manufactured their own versions called manillas. Manillas became slave trade currency to purchase slaves for American and Caribbean plantations. Although European manillas were used extensively, the Fulani continued producing and wearing their manillas as currency until foreign traders were prohibited from using them as currency in1919. They were confiscated and melted down in the 1940s.

The Fulani people favored many kinds of body ornaments, among the most traditional being bracelets and anklets in a horseshoe shape with flared decorative ends.  This finely-crafted, heavy and massive antique U-shaped example was elaborately designed with intertwined twisted strands and 11 faceted ends incised with circle and diamond designs.

Click here for Blog Manillas: Former African Trade Currency.