Personal adornments in West-Central Africa—the case study of a talc bead from the Kongo Kingdom (Mbanza Kongo, Angola)

Abstract A mustard-gold-colored talc bead was recovered during the 2014 excavation campaign carried out in Lumbu (Mbanza Kongo, Angola) together with nineteenth-century glass trade beads imported from Bohemia and Venice. Results this multi-analytical minimally invasive study suggest that may have been brought to kingdom’s capital by means of an established intra-kingdom network or as offering intended for king a member nobility. However, it undoubtedly manufactured within Kongo kingdom using sources known local population. As such, constitutes first evidence production personal adornment objects one examples craft specialization purposes central southern Africa since pre-historic times.