crown; cone shaped; 4 columns of cowries alternate w/ 4 velvet triangles around the sides. triangles covered w/ green & dark red velvet strips; at top 5 knobs covered w/ tannish plainweave fabric and attached by leather structures; 2 rows of cowries sewn around leather base. 5 leather strings w/ cowries attached at base; one is separated. fragil, damaged. diam. at base 17 cm. H: 16 cm. L. of strings: 25-26 cm.
Donor:
Berta Bascom
Collection place:
Oyo, Oyo State, Nigeria
Verbatim coll. place:
Africa; Nigeria; Oyo; Yoruba
Culture or time period:
Yoruba
Collector:
Berta Bascom and William Russell Bascom
Collection date:
unknown
Materials:
Leather
Object type:
ethnography
Function:
5.1 Religion and Divination: Objects and garb associated with practices reflecting submission, devotion, obedience, and service to supernatural agencies
Context of use:
cult object; crown was probably used during worship of Shango, the deity of thunder and lightning. according to collector, this crown belonged to Shango's wife.
Department:
Africa (except Ancient Egypt)
Dimensions:
diameter 17 centimeters, length 26 centimeters, and height 16 centimeters
Comment:
There are two objects which have this catalogue number assigned. Object in V-28-4 is a cylinder box with cover and contents.Bascom numbers B2049 in W-18-8; B204_ in V-28-4. PAHMA Storage Loc: 20A, V-28-4 20A, W-18-8