A Yoruba Beaded Crown, "ade" Lot n° 31

Beaded crown, "ade Yoruba, Nigeria ohne Sockel / without base Textile, glass beads. H 44 cm. Each traditional Yoruba king owns a collection of beaded crowns that he inherited from his predecessors and wears on certain occasions. In addition, he also receives new crowns as a sign of his reign on his accession to the throne. The beaded crown (adenla) of Yoruba rulers is a tall, pointed construction of palm ribs (pako) covering layers of white cloth fixed with cornstarch (eko). The cloth is fully embroidered with multicolored beaded bands. Each crown is adorned with one or (usually) more human faces in bas-relief. A bird figure made of beads sits on the top, and small birds are often attached to the sides. At the bottom of the crown hangs a veil of beaded strings that hide the wearer's face. The beaded crown with the veil transforms a Yoruba king from a human into a sacred ruler who can fight with cosmic powers to protect the community of his subjects. When he wears his crown, the ruler's face is more or less hidden behind the pearl veil. His human features disappear. The crown confirms him as a divine being. The bird figure on the top of the crown (probably replaced and younger than the crown) is usually identified as a peacock (okin), which is considered the king of birds. He and the other birds on the sides refer to the strong female powers that protect the ruler and with whom he must cooperate so that "the mothers" (awon iya wa) do not turn into destructive witches (aje) and threaten his successful government. Further reading: Beier, Ulli (1982). Yoruba Beaded Crowns. London: Ethnographica. CHF 200 / 400 EUR 200 / 400