Hat

Museum number:
5-14571
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm21050014571
Accession number:
Acc.4023
Description:
Cap, "Kofia," embroidered. Cylindrical, stitched white cotton with gold thread reinforced holes of diamond, circular, curvilinear, and floral designs. Diameter 20 centimeters, height 10 centimeters. Made by Waswahili men and women and is worn anytime by Muslim men. Holes are made by a porcupine quill. The cap is a symbol of male purity and is the same style as caps worn by men in Oman. It is sometimes worn under a turban. Cost USD $21.42 [at collection date 1984].
Donor:
Linda Donley and University Appropriation
Collection place:
Kenya
Verbatim coll. place:
Kenya; Lamu; Waswahili
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Hats
Function:
2.1 Daily Garb
Department:
Africa (except Ancient Egypt)
Images:
Hearst Museum object 1 of 2 titled Hat, accession number 5-14571, described as Cap, "Kofia," embroidered. Cylindrical, stitched white cotton with gold thread reinforced holes of diamond, circular, curvilinear, and floral designs. Diameter 20 centimeters, height 10 centimeters. Made by Waswahili men and women and is worn anytime by Muslim men. Holes are made by a porcupine quill. The cap is a symbol of male purity and is the same style as caps worn by men in Oman. It is sometimes worn under a turban. Cost USD $21.42 [at collection date 1984].Hearst Museum object 2 of 2 titled Hat, accession number 5-14571, described as Cap, "Kofia," embroidered. Cylindrical, stitched white cotton with gold thread reinforced holes of diamond, circular, curvilinear, and floral designs. Diameter 20 centimeters, height 10 centimeters. Made by Waswahili men and women and is worn anytime by Muslim men. Holes are made by a porcupine quill. The cap is a symbol of male purity and is the same style as caps worn by men in Oman. It is sometimes worn under a turban. Cost USD $21.42 [at collection date 1984].
Legacy documentation:
Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Hat, accession number 5-14571, described as Cap, "Kofia," embroidered. Cylindrical, stitched white cotton with gold thread reinforced holes of diamond, circular, curvilinear, and floral designs. Diameter 20 centimeters, height 10 centimeters. Made by Waswahili men and women and is worn anytime by Muslim men. Holes are made by a porcupine quill. The cap is a symbol of male purity and is the same style as caps worn by men in Oman. It is sometimes worn under a turban. Cost USD $21.42 [at collection date 1984].

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