Kings crown, Yoruba people (detail)

The

Yoruba people of Nigeria make spectacular, beaded, cone shaped crowns, and they’ve been making them for a very long time.

Yoruba kings crown

Featured a Yoruba

beaded crown. Pieces like this were originally created for kings. Nobility and gender were the two requirements to wear such finery. The piece is covered with two symbols deeply relevant to Yoruba culture – mysterious faces and birds. The faces depict Oduduwa, the main “creator god” of the group. The birds depict the royal bird Okin, which represents women. Once the king dons this crown, he acknowledges it is impossible to rule without the support of god and the opposite sex!

Crowns like this were crafted by specially trained artisans who understood the significance of their creations. In the bead world they are often considered classic and have become iconic in their respective genres.

(Product SOLD)