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Grere'o (shield), Solomon Islander artist, Fiber, parinarium-nut paste, chambered-nautilus shell, pigment, Solomon Islands people — Grere'o (shield)
Solomon Islander artist
Early to mid-19th century

Helmet crest from a nja masquerade, Grassfields artists, Wood, copper, glass beads, raffia palm, cowrie shells, Bamum kingdom — Helmet crest from a nja masquerade
Grassfields artists
ca. 1800–80

Nkisi (power figure), Kongo artist and nganga (ritual specialist), Wood, pigment, resin, iron, brass, tin, cloth, plant fiber cord, beads, cowrie shells, bone or ivory, arrows, leather, seeds, animal horn, Kongo peoples — Nkisi (power figure)
Kongo artist and nganga (ritual specialist)
19th–first half of 20th century

Headdress frontlet, Wood, abalone shell, pigment, and nails, Tsimshian
, Native American — Headdress frontlet
Tsimshian , Native American
ca. 1820–40

Brooch, Marcus and Co. American, Plique-à-jour enamel, conch pearl, diamond, platinum and eighteen karat gold, American — Brooch
Marcus and Co.
ca. 1900

Suruku koun (hyena) mask, Bamana numu (blacksmith), Wood, cowrie shells, pigment, Bamana peoples — Suruku koun (hyena) mask
Bamana numu (blacksmith)
19th–mid-20th century

Ilé-orí (house for the head) shrine with ìbọrí, Yoruba artist, Cowrie shells, cotton, leather, mixed media offerings, Yoruba peoples — Ilé-orí (house for the head) shrine with ìbọrí
Yoruba artist
19th–20th century

Ceremonial Staff (Wari Hau), Wood, chambered-nautilus shell, fiber, paint, Solomon Islands — Ceremonial Staff (Wari Hau)
Solomon Islands
19th–early 20th century

Canoe Prow, Wood, cowrie shells, Iatmul people — Canoe Prow
Iatmul people
19th–early 20th century

Pendant, Conus shell, New Georgia Island — Pendant
New Georgia Island
early to mid-20th century

Ceremonial Plank, Wood, paint, feathers, fiber, cowry shell, dye, Iatmul people — Ceremonial Plank
Iatmul people
late 19th–mid-20th century

Te saqwit (tent divider), Beja artists, Cotton, leather, beads, cowrie shell, doum palm leaf (Hyphaene species, possibly thebaica), dye, Beja peoples — Te saqwit (tent divider)
Beja artists
mid-20th century

Bwanga (power object), Luluwa artist and mpaka manga (ritual specialist) (?), Wood, horn, seeds, cowrie shells, shotgun shells, teeth, metal, fiber, pigment, tar(?), Luluwa peoples — Bwanga (power object)
Luluwa artist and mpaka manga (ritual specialist)
19th–first half of 20th century

Bark Belt, Bark, paint, lime, cowrie shell, fiber, Elema people — Bark Belt
Elema people
late 19th–early 20th century

Finial for a Ceremonial House, Wood, cowrie shells, paint, Sawos people — Finial for a Ceremonial House
Sawos people
late 19th–early 20th century

Bowl (Apira Ni Mwane), Wood, chambered nautilus shell, Solomon Islands — Bowl (Apira Ni Mwane)
Solomon Islands
mid to late 19th century

Miniature Mask, Loma artist(s), Wood, metal, cowrie shells, applied organic materials, Loma or Toma peoples — Miniature Mask
Loma artist(s)
19th–first half 20th century

Imina kanaga (kanaga masquerade vest), Dogon artist, Cotton, dye, cowrie shells, plastic, glass, metal, Dogon peoples — Imina kanaga (kanaga masquerade vest)
Dogon artist
early 1970s

Carved Conch with Lakshmi-Narayana, Shell with silver additions, India (possibly West Bengal) or Bangladesh — Carved Conch with Lakshmi-Narayana
India (possibly West Bengal) or Bangladesh
11th–12th century

Carved Conch, Shell, India — Carved Conch
India
11th century or earlier

Longcase clock with calendrical, lunar, and tidal indications, also known as the Graves Tompion, Thomas Tompion British, Case: oak veneered with walnut, panels of oystershell-cut olive wood; marquetry panels of green-stained bone, ivory, various woods; mounts: gilded brass; dial: gilded and silvered brass; movement: brass, steel, British, London — Longcase clock with calendrical, lunar, and tidal indications, also known as the Graves Tompion
Thomas Tompion
Jasper Braem
ca. 1677–80

Badge of the Order of Saint Michael, Shell cameo, mounted in gold, with seashell motifs, French — Badge of the Order of Saint Michael
French
17th century, with modern chains and links

Reliquary figure, Mbete-Kota artist, Wood, pigment, metal, cowrie shells, Kota peoples, Mbete group — Reliquary figure
Mbete-Kota artist
19th century

Prestige headdress, Pende artist (?), Raffia palm fiber, cowrie shells, Pende peoples (?) — Prestige headdress
Pende artist
ca. 1850–1920

Prestige headdress, Central African artist, Fiber, animal hair, cowrie shells, Democratic Republic of Congo — Prestige headdress
Central African artist
ca. 1850–1920

Throne of Njouteu, Grassfields carver and master beader, Wood, glass beads, cloth, cowrie shells, Bamileke — Throne of Njouteu
Grassfields carver and master beader
Late 19th–early 20th century

Shell Inscribed with the Cartouche of Senwosret I, Oyster Shell — Shell Inscribed with the Cartouche of Senwosret I
ca. 1981–1550 B.C.

String of cowrie shells, Cowrie shell — String of cowrie shells
ca. 1070–343 B.C.

String of cowrie shells, Cowrie shell — String of cowrie shells
ca. 1070–343 B.C.

Amulet, Antler and abalone shell, Tlingit, Native American — Amulet
Tlingit, Native American
ca. 1840–70

Rattle, Copper, wood, tanned leather, abalone shell, and horn, Tlingit, Native American — Rattle
Tlingit, Native American
ca. 1890

Nautilus cup, Nautilus shell, with gilded silver mounts, Dutch, Utrecht — Nautilus cup
Dutch, Utrecht
1602

Ba’ (baby carrier), Bahau artist, Wood, conus shell, fiber, Bahau — Ba’ (baby carrier)
Bahau artist
late 19th–early 20th century

Ganagana (ancestor figure), Toba Batak artist, Wood, fiber, trade cloth, horse hair, cowrie shells, glass beads, brass, iron nails, bone, seeds, feathers, Toba Batak people — Ganagana (ancestor figure)
Toba Batak artist
late 19th–early 20th century

Sipattal (chest ornament), Isneg artist, Pearl shell, cowrie shells, glass beads, metal, horn, fiber, dog teeth, Isneg — Sipattal (chest ornament)
Isneg artist
late 19th–early 20th century

Lawo butu (women’s ceremonial skirt), Ngada artist, Cotton, glass beads, chambered-nautilus shell, nassa shell, Ngada peoples — Lawo butu (women’s ceremonial skirt)
Ngada artist
late 19th–early 20th century

Laket mishiing hat, Kuba artist, Raffia palm fiber, glass beads, cowrie shells, Kuba peoples — Laket mishiing hat
Kuba artist
ca. 1850–1920

Saddle (Kura)

Japanese

18th century

Blade and Mounting for a Slung Sword (Tachi)

Gotō Renjō (Mitsutomo)

14th century; mounting, 19th century

Blade and Mounting for a Sword (Katana)

Japanese

blade, 16th century; mounting, 19th century