8 traditional African visual markers of marital status before the advent of wedding rings

A group of Zulu women compete for the 7th annual Alfred Duma Local Municipality hosts Heritage Festival _Photo: ladysmithgazette.co.za

Marriage is one of the oldest institutions in the world. For people of the Christian faith, marriage was formed in the Garden of Eden with the creation of Eve from Adam. Several years down the line, this institution continues to mature in style, taste, custom and tradition.

With the inception of the Western white wedding, the “wedding ring” formed an important part of this institution. It has created an era where value is placed on the jewellery.

Although the ring is seen as one of the most universal symbols representing the union of two people, there were equally several symbols and markers among various ethnic groups in Africa that identified the married from the unmarried.

Take a look at the interesting ways some Africans presented married people.

Last Edited by:Ismail Akwei Updated: July 24, 2019

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