Nkody mu-ikup (prestige belt),

20th century

Beaded objects were worn by members of the Kuba royal family as part of lavish costumes for public display. Kuba beadwork is linked to an inventive and complex design tradition that balances symmetry with asymmetry. Kuba patterns are repeated in a range of media to decorate royal regalia, raffia cloth, and bodies, where they communicate social status. This collar features a floral pattern comprising four cowrie shells and a blue-and-white beadwork design of alternating right-angle triangles that form two-tone squares known as lantshoong.

This beaded prestige belt, which secured the waist wrappers of Kuba women during festivals, combines several patterns into one elegant design. A central beaded interlaced knot, which would have been placed at the back, is framed on either side by a checkered pattern, which resembles wood stacked for cooking, and by a floral pattern comprising four cowrie shells.