men's arm ornament

men's arm ornament, late 1800s–1968

Where object was made: Kenya

Material/technique: leather; plant fiber; beading

Dimensions:
Object Length/Width (Length x Width): 42 x 7.5 cm
Object Length/Width (Length x Width): 2 15/16 x 16 9/16 in

Credit line: Gift of Karen Sueetta Joyce

Accession number: 2007.0854

Not on display

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Label texts

archive label, 16 February 1989:
Only one arm bracelet "is worn on the left arm of a man to signify that he has killed, in hand-to-hand combat, his own worst human enemy. These are very uncommonly found today since it is, of course, illegal for anyone to kill another human without swift punishment by the government.