A Senufo key bracelet, Korhogo region, Ivory Coast. This superb object, made of a copper or bronze alloy, is a hinged, key-locked ankle bracelet (or ankle shackle) from the Senufo culture. Worn during important ceremonies or historically used as a medium of exchange, this prestigious accessory signified the high social status of its wearer. With an overall structure and shape resembling a spool or hourglass, the object features a cylindrical, flared central body, surrounded at both ends (top and bottom) by two wide, flat, circular flanges that flare outward. It features a hinged mechanism in which the ankle band is divided into two symmetrical, semi-cylindrical sections connected at the back by a discreet vertical hinge, allowing the ring to open completely so that the ankle or wrist can be inserted. It features a key-locking mechanism, overlapping assembly tabs, and, on the front left side, two flat wooden or metal protrusions that overlap when the object is closed. The locking mechanism consists of a removable vertical metal pin (functioning as both a latch and a key) that passes through the slots provided for this purpose. This pin ends at the top with a small rounded rod or a vertical knob that serves as a handle to operate the mechanism. The outer surfaces of the vertical cylindrical sides are adorned with delicate geometric patterns chiseled from the solid material. A series of concentric motifs in the shape of semicircles or superimposed arches (evoking waves or scales) can be seen. The metal has a beautiful patina of wear in shades of gold and orange-ochre, with slight variations in matte texture within the engraved recesses and more polished, shiny areas on the wide outer edges subject to friction. Lit.: Die Kunst der Senufo, Museum Rietberg Zürich, aus Schweizer Sammlung, Zürich 1988; Homberger Lorenz: Künstler in Werkstätten der Senufo. In: Afrikanische Meister. Kunst der Elfenbeinküste, Zurüch 2014, p. 151-178; Glaze, Anita. “Woman Power and Art in a Senufo Village.” African Arts 8 (3, 1975). Some of the information is generated by artificial intelligence and is based on published sources from the fields of ethnography, archaeology, and art history. Informant: Bakari MAZ15834