Girls beaded pubic cover, from Transkei, South Africa. Beaded waistband made of white, blue and green beads threaded onto plant fibre string, with blue triangular patterns worked into the design. Long white chains of beads hang from the waistband, decorated at the tip with green and red beads. On one side of the cover is a long double metal chain, made from hoops of brass on a plant fibre thread. At the base of this chain are further plant fibre and bead tassels, decorated with metal buttons, leather strands, rattles and woollen threads.
This object and others were collected by Erich H. Bigalke. According to Anthony Shelton, Bigalke was enlisted as one of a number of 'outside fieldworkers' to collect on behalf of the Horniman Museum. Bigalke collected among the Xhosa and 'neighbouring groups' and the collection was made in cooperation with the East London Museum in South Africa. Presumably, the Horniman Museum’s catalogue details are based on information provided by Bigalke’s (for example, his fieldwork notes). It might be useful to refer to Bigalke’s published work, for example, Bigalke, 1972. See also Shelton, 2003.
