Ankle shackles

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

These ankle shackles consist of a two-piece cuff-like section at one end, and another cuff-like piece and locking device at the other; connected by three very heavy and elaborately incised links; all portions of this pair of shackles bear repeated geometric designs that are believed to be West African in origin.

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