c. 19th/mid-20th century
Senufo, Côte d’Ivoire or Burkina Faso
copper alloy
Art Institute Chicago
https://www.artic.edu/artworks/193108/ring-depicting-a-chameleon
https://www.artic.edu/artworks/192683/ring-depicting-a-chameleon
https://www.artic.edu/artworks/193109/ring-depicting-a-chameleon
Small cast copper-alloy ornaments are made across West Africa within the arc of the great Niger River. Brass or bronze casting has powerful associations with the supernatural because, like ironworking, it is a highly specialized process that uses fire to transform a raw material into a form that is useful and meaningful to humans. For the Senufo, copper-alloy ornaments are pleasing to the eye and offer protection by representing and honoring nature spirits.
(Art Institute Chicago)
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