Naga Beaded Belt

Glass bead girdles, or belts, worn by Sema Naga women to hold up their draped cotton loincloth. The multi strands are held in place at intervals by long strand spacers and bone spacer units.  The strands hold seed glass beads.  They are interwoven at their terminals and the belt is closed by a shell button and loop.The bottom strand with multiple highly patinated brass pendants.

As Naga did not possess glass making technology, these glass beads were imported from Europe, Bohemia or Venice the probable source.Glass beads are an im portent part of every Nagaland woman’s dowery.Their value and amount of beads are proportionate to the bride’s price that the young bride’s father must pay the groom’s father.