Pair of Woman’s Ear Ornaments (Enchoni Enkiook)

Description

These ear ornaments, the name of which translates as “cowhide of the ear,” were historically worn by a Maasai woman from the day she was initiated into adulthood until her death. Made from cowhide, glass beads, buttons, and metal wire, a typical pair consists of two pieces that have slightly different decorations and shapes. Design choices are made carefully: colors and patterns are specific to Maasai communities or even to subgroups within them. Here, the predominance of blue refers to the sky and the Maasai god Enkai.

Provenance

Acquired in Tanzania by Kip McKesson African Art, East Lansing, MI, 1993; sold to Michael R. Mack, Atlanta, 2014; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 2024.

Pair of Woman’s Ear Ornaments (Enchoni Enkiook)

Maasai

20th century

Accession Number

271830

Medium

Animal hide, glass beads, buttons, and metal wire

Dimensions

A: 16.9 × 6.1 × 1.6 cm (6 5/8 × 2 3/8 × 5/8 in.); B: 17.2 × 4.8 × 1 cm (6 3/4 × 1 7/8 × 3/8 in.)

Classification

ear ornament

Museum

The Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, United States

Credit Line

Gift of the Michael R. Mack Collection