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Comments

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  Stefany Tomalin September 26, 2011 at 8:22am

  do you have any information how these enormous and heavy beads were worn?
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  Ann Porteus September 26, 2011 at 9:12am

  Sorry no. But if you consider the people of the Akan and in particular the Asante whose wealth like the Mali Empire was built on the value of their gold. Obviously the wealthy and those with higher rank wore gold. Sometimes thick layers of it.
  My theory is that the large bead was worn as a sign of a particular rank or status. I think that I may have read something some years ago. I will have another look in my library tomorrow at work and see what I can find. I will send anything I find. Ann