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South African Zulu Isicholo Hat c. Mid 1900s

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:100.00 USD Estimated At:300.00 - 600.00 USD
South African Zulu Isicholo Hat c. Mid 1900s
Featured in this lot is this South African Zulu married woman hat, circa mid 1900's. This hat shows vibrant cloth with interwoven red wool twine and a braided wool cord intertwined into one side. Zulu is a nation of Nguni-speaking people in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. The form of the isicholo, or married woman's hat, developed out of a 19th-century conical hairstyle that was worn as a sign of respect to one's husband and his family, in addition to serving as a public symbol of married status. In the early 20th century, a removable hat like this one replaced the hairstyle. The condition of this married woman's hat is good, with no obvious signs of damage. The measurements of this hat are 4" x 10 3/4" x 10 3/4".