Kasena Armband, Ghana, Based

Ground by hand. Polished by hand. Over a long time. Stone rings like this were made that way, and across the region they were worn as adornment and as markers of standing within the community.

This granite armband is from the Kasena peoples of Ghana, of indeterminate age. A thick, rounded ring of dark gray-green stone, its surface is flecked with lighter mineral speckles and softened by wear. Small nicks and a gentle sheen show handling over time. Mounted upright on a slim black metal stand, it rises seven inches.

A circle, quietly insisting on itself.