This color photograph captures a Mursi woman in the Omo Valley of Ethiopia, wearing a traditional clay lip plate and an elaborate beaded headdress. The Mursi are known for these distinctive cultural practices, where the insertion of a wooden or terracotta disc into the lower lip is a significant rite of passage and a symbol of female maturity and identity. Beckwith and Fisher have spent decades documenting the diverse and vanishing cultures of the African continent, focusing on ritual, identity, and the preservation of sacred ceremonies. This specific work is an Artist Proof (AP) from a very limited edition, hand-signed by both artists in the lower right margin.

Details Artist: Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher Title: Mursi Woman with Lip Plate, Ethiopia Medium: Color photograph Edition: AP 3/5 (Artist Proof) Dimensions: 22 x 16 inches Signature: Hand-signed in pencil by both artists in the lower right margin; numbered in the lower left margin

Mursi culture Ethiopia Omo Valley lip plate ritual adornment beaded headdress Carol Beckwith Angela Fisher fine art photography limited edition artist proof African ceremonies ethnographic portrait vanishing traditions indigenous cultures