Oceania, Melanesia, Solomon Islands, Santa Cruz Islands, ca. late 19th to early 20th century CE. An intricate cylindrical armband known as an "ambegwaro" made from dark, tightly-woven vegetal fibers with hundreds of black and white shell beads on the exterior. The disc shaped shells are drilled through the center and arranged in a diamond and triangular pattern which represents fish. Ambegwaro may be worn on the upper arms, or, more rarely, around the wrists or ankles. They are generally worn by men, but sometimes women wear them on their wedding days and are highly valued for their beauty and craftsmanship. Size: 6" L x 3.25" W (15.2 cm x 8.3 cm)

From the National Gallery of Australia: "Strings of these beads were created by women in villages along the Langalanga Lagoon on the west coast of Malaita and acted as a form of currency across the south-eastern Solomon Islands… Great care and attention was taken in creating armbands such as these, for they were the equivalent of very expensive jewellery, a display of the wearer's wealth. The currency value of each armband was determined by the tightness in production of the geometric designs and the richness of coloration of the red shells; in the early twentieth century a foot length of red shell beads was worth around a shilling in Malaita, a considerable sum."

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, acquired from 1995 to 2010

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#168446

Some fraying to fibers on exterior and losses to a few shells on exterior but most are intact and excellent. Minor fraying to interior, but all is securely woven and very tight.