Earring
ClassificationsClothing and Adornments-ear ornaments-earrings
Culture
Li
Date20th Century
Made AtHainan Province, China, Asia
MediumSilver
Dimensions8 1/4 × 5 1/2 × 1/4 in. (21 × 14 × 0.6 cm)
Credit LineAnonymous Gift
Object number2020.8.4
DescriptionThis is an earring from the Li culture of Hainan Island. Like mainland Chinese minority groups, Li women wear complex arrangements of silver ornaments for festivals and other social occasions.Though many of these objects, and even specific designs, were pervasive enough to be found across various Chinese minority cultures, this distinctive style of earring with nine hanging rings was only worn by the Li. Given the immense size of this earring and relative weight it only would have been worn by older women. Some of the rings are also decorated with designs characteristic to these earrings: koi fish, dragons, and floral motifs.
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