MSI654

PAIR OF ALUMINUM EAR PLUGS (TUNNELS) – BRE (B’RÊ) TRIBE – KARENNI STATE, EASTERN BURMA (MYANMAR) – MID 20TH CENTURY

THIS PAIR OF HAND-FORMED EAR TUNNELS IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE BRE (B’RÊ), A LITTLE-DOCUMENTED SUBGROUP OF THE KARENNI (RED KAREN) PEOPLE FROM THE HIGHLANDS OF EASTERN BURMA. SIMILAR EXAMPLES ARE SHOWN IN RICHARD K. DIRAN’S “THE VANISHING TRIBES OF BURMA,” WHERE BRE WOMEN ARE PICTURED WEARING FLARED METAL EAR PLUGS AS PART OF THEIR TRADITIONAL BODY ADORNMENT.

CRAFTED FROM CAST OR RECYCLED ALUMINUM—A MATERIAL THAT BECAME COMMONLY AVAILABLE IN THE REGION AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR—THESE PLUGS FEATURE CHARACTERISTIC DOUBLE FLARES, INDICATING THEIR USE IN STRETCHED EARLOBES. THE DESIGN IS FUNCTIONAL, MINIMALIST, AND DEEPLY TIED TO ETHNIC IDENTITY, DAILY LIFE, AND RITUAL PRACTICE.

EAR PLUGS OF THIS TYPE ARE RARELY FOUND TODAY OUTSIDE OF HISTORICAL FIELD DOCUMENTATION. THIS PAIR IS A RARE SURVIVING EXAMPLE OF BRE TRIBAL JEWELRY AND CARRIES BOTH ETHNOGRAPHIC AND HISTORICAL VALUE.

MATERIAL: ALUMINUM (REUSED OR CAST)
TRIBE: BRE (B’RÊ), SUBGROUP OF KARENNI (RED KAREN)
REGION: KARENNI STATE, EASTERN BURMA (MYANMAR)
PERIOD: MID 20TH CENTURY
WEIGHT: 13.08 GRAMS (PAIR)
DIMENSIONS: APPROX. DIAMETER 30MM EARLOBE SADDLE | 38MM FLARE | LENGTH 24MM
CONDITION: VERY GOOD – USABLE – NICE PATINA – ENDS ARE CLOSED BUT NOT SOLDERED OR FUSED (SEE IMAGES)
NOTES: HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT AND RARELY DOCUMENTED BODY JEWELRY – LIGHTLY CLEANED TO PRESERVE ORIGINAL PATINA

REFERENCE:
THE VANISHING TRIBES OF BURMA, PAGE 135 – RICHARD K. DIRAN – AMPHOTO ART / WATSON-GUPTILL, NEW YORK

SELL AS PAIR – FREE SHIPPING