Yoruba Beaded Crown Nigeria African Art

Description

Type of Object
Crown
Country of Origin
Nigeria
People
Yoruba
Materials
Glass, fabric
Approximate Age
20th century
Height (in)
34
Width (in)
10
Overall Condition
Good. Most of our pieces have spent decades on at least two continents, and have been treasured by several owners.   Small splits, scrapes and cracks are a normal part of their patina attesting to their age and extensive use.  We examine each piece carefully when we receive it and report any damage we find in our listings.  Please look carefully at the pictures which may also reveal condition and damage.
Damage/Repair
STAND NOT INLCUDED **
Additional Information:
A beaded cone-shaped crown with a long fringe of beads that covers the wearer's face is the most important symbol of Yoruba kingship. Beaded crowns signify that the king-wearer can trace his ancestry to Odudua, the mythical founder of the sixteen original Yoruba kingdoms. This crown, formed by starched cotton placed over a basketry structure, is decorated with birds and geometric patterns. The gathering of birds refers both to rituals that make the king semidivine and to the concealed forces that enable him to control and mediate the human and supernatural realms. Interlace patterns called salubata are associated with royalty or leadership. The veil protects the king's subjects from the supernatural powers radiating from his face. According to the crown makers of Efon-Alaiye, the earliest crowns were decorated with beads of one color. No examples survive of the first crowns, made with blue segi (Aggrey beads). The next crowns were decorated with red coral beads, which the Portuguese introduced in the late 15th century. Such crowns are rare. Crowns are now decorated with brilliantly colored glass beads, which have been imported from Europe probably since the mid-17th century. A Yoruba king might have several different beaded crowns and caps to wear for particular occasions. Like human beings, each ritual crown has its own oriki (chanted attributes or oral history).
**137993**
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