Jewellery
In The African Store you will find an exotic range of jewellery, from various parts of Africa.

You will find Zulu Beadwork that combines the traditional skill with contemporary designs to create jewellery and objet d’arts which delight the senses with their richness and colour.

The skill of beadwork has long been practiced by Zulu women as part of their cultural heritage. In the traditional Zulu beadwork, the beads themselves contain cultural significance in their design and use of colour.   The Abacus designs below are contemporary creations and, as such, do not adhere to the strict colour codes of the traditional beads but rather draw on the old and new to create unique pieces.

Only a small selection is shown below, as we are continually receiving new designs and colours in stock.  These exact items may not be available at time of purchase.

Significance of beads
Traditional Zulu bead designs relate to courtship or marriage. The combination and arrangement of colours denotes marital status. The wearing of traditional bead jewellery was used as a system of identifying individuals who could be approached for courtship.

Like the Zulu language itself, the bead language is rich in nuance and complexity and can only really be fully comprehended by those immersed in the culture.

There are seven basic colours which can have a positive or negative connotation depending upon their arrangement. White is the exception and is always a positive symbol of purity and true love. If white is placed next to a colour, the positive aspect is taken eg. White next to blue signifies fidelity and is the conventional engagement symbol.

Some of the other ranges of jewellery available include the fashionable ‘Safety Pin’ bracelets and necklaces, plus a range of pewter, copper, silver and glass pieces…the range is endless, interesting and there should be something for every taste.

Safety Pin Jewellery:
The safety pin bracelets and necklaces are all the fashion throughout Africa. They are fun to wear, colourful and are often combined with with beads, porcupine quills.

They are available in different widths, and are strung on a stretch cord, so one size fits all.

Copper & Brass Jewellery
Inspired by the sights and sounds of Ancient Africa, this unique range has been handcrafted using Copper and Brass.

Simple yet complex, ancient but modern, these metal crafts have been inspired by the South African Ndebele culture whose art has played such a prominent role in Africa.

These products are handcrafted in studios by burnishing and heat-treating the metals to get the earthy colours, which make them so unique. We recommend that you polish with a soft cloth and treat it with care.

Each piece is hermetically sealed in a high quality coating to prevent tarnishing, and should be washed with care in soap and water.

A small example of what we stock can be found below.