Iron girdle with a manacle on each side, formerly used in the Old Tolbooth, Edinburgh

Electrum girdle of twenty-six scaraboid-shaped beads and twelve barrel beads, threaded on a double string: Ancient Egyptian, Upper Egypt, Thebes, Qurna, 2nd Intermediate Period, 17th Dynasty, c.1585-1545 BC

Faience ring bead girdle, found on the body of a child : Ancient Egyptian, Upper Egypt, Thebes, Qurna, 2nd Intermediate Period, 17th Dynasty, c.1585-1545 BC

Girdle and chopstick case, four chased and openwork brass links, with one hanging link suspending wooden case with gold damascened steel mounts with foliate design, part of an eating set (girdle, case, two chopsticks and knife) worn and used by Tibetan women: possibly manufactured in China, collected in Tibet, Tibetan, 19th century AD

Soldier's girdle of leather, ornamented with plates of steel with silver inlay: Tibet

Bridal girdle of silver, hoop-form with the edges ornamented with connected segments of circles and dots, and the ends and clasps set with carnelians: Iraqi, worn near Merv, by Tekke Turkomans

Woman's girdle of hibiscus bast, dyed red and blue: Polynesian, Samoa

Leather and brass belt girdle with beaded apron: East Central Africa, Tanzania(?)

Girdle ornamented with beads: South Africa, Basuto

Waistband of iron, copper and glass beads threaded on length of cotton: Africa, Eastern Africa, Malawi or Zambia, late 19th century

Waistband of coiled brass, worn by men: Africa, Eastern Africa, Malawi or Zambia, late 19th century

One of three girdles of coiled brass wire on a core of vegetable fibre: Africa, Malawi

One of three girdles of coiled brass wire on a core of vegetable fibre: Africa, Malawi

One of three girdles of coiled brass wire on a core of vegetable fibre: Africa, Malawi

Circular flexible girdle of brass wire coiled on a core of vegetable fibre: Africa, Malawi

Girdle of blue and white hand woven cotton: Africa, Eastern Africa, Malawi, Blantyre or Domasi, early 20th century