Unrecorded Artist, amaNgwane peoples
amaNgwane 'isibheklane' pink beaded wedding cape
About the SessionFrom early Cape furniture to mid-century classics and contemporary pieces, this selection of furniture, ceramics, glass and bronzes, traces a journey through more than two hundred years of South African design.
About this Item
Notes
An isibheklane is a traditional South African beaded textile, worn as a wedding cape by the amaNgwane people of the Bergville region in northern KwaZulu-Natal. These textiles are typically constructed from layers of cloth, including cotton, wool or synthetic materials, and richly decorated with glass beadwork.
The beadwork often features bold geometric designs with symbolic significance, made either by or for the bride to express personal hopes and expectations for married life. This example is composed of multiple textile layers, including cotton, polyester and other fabrics, with embroidered and couched decoration, glass and plastic beadwork, and beaded cotton cord embellishments.
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