opening which will allow the neck to be removed if pulled apart by two strong men (Figure 3). This was rarely done, however as the prestige earned by the wearer far outweighed any discomfort. Brass ornaments were worn solely by the elite, but Moshoeshoe I, founder of the Basotho nation would award his finest warriors with the ‘khau’, a V-shaped brass breastplate which hung from the neck and was worn in battle and on ceremonial occasions.
Charles Rawden Maclean, who was among the first Europeans to encounter Shaka, noted that Zulus “were frequently seen adorned with brass balls of native manufacture”. These balls, called izindondo (sing: indondo) were large brass beads which could be worn singly or in multiples around the neck or sewn onto skin garments (Figure4). Like other brass ornaments, they were created in shallow moulds which had been hollowed in soft sandstone and into which the molten brass was poured. The other metal ornaments observed by early travellers were arm rings, worn above and below the elbow, and neck rings, sometimes in multiples of up to four.
Figure 4
It seems that it was in the reign of Dingane that that the final and most exclusive of the brass ornaments was introduced. This was the ingxotha – a wide flat plate of brass, shaped to encircle the right forearm and Figure 3 usually decorated with flutes (Figure 5) and, latterly amasumpa, or ‘warts’. Whereas Although the wearing of brass ornaments was brass neck rings could be, and were always a status symbol in South Africa, in the awarded to many servants of the king and Zulu kingdom under Shaka it signified royal indeed complete regiments for notable approval and favour. All trade in and out of the service, the ingxotha was only given to kingdom was controlled by the king (inkosi), those closest the king, members of his inner though with diminishing success by Shaka’s circle or, occasionally, the greatest warriors. successors, Dingane (1828-40), Mpande They were worn during the time of (1840-72) and Chetswayo (1872-84). Brass was celebration which lasted about three or four imported, mainly through Portuguese traders, in months from about December, the hottest crude bars or rings (umdaka). Expert smiths then time of year. Like other brass ornaments, transformed them into the required ornaments in a the wearer could suffer extreme discomfort, specific area attached to the royal kraals. so much so that young boys carried gourds