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Handmade ostrich egg-shell jewellery
Traditional ostrich eggshell jewellery
has been around for thousands of years and
is still practiced today. A great deal of
time is required to make this jewellery.
To begin with, small pieces of shell are
made more or less round by tapping them
with a piece of horn or metal. A stone is
used as an anvil.
A hole is drilled through the centre of
the beads. They are then stringed onto a
rolled sinew thread until they fit tight
against each other, they are then rubbed
with a brittle stone on the person's thigh.
Once theaded onto the sinew they are made
into bracelets, bangles, chokers, belts,
earrings or headdresses. Natural objects
such as pieces of porcupine quills, horns,
tambotie wood and seeds are used in the
designs.
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