Couronne de perles royale "ade"
Description
palm ribs, fabric, multicoloured miniature glass beads, quills,
“Ade” is crowned by two birds, which symbolise the power of witches. A figure with “mud fish legs” adorns the front and back of the conical corpus. It represents “olokun”, the “orisha” of the seas, prosperity and fertility, which is regarded as male or female depending on the region. The pearl veil “iboju” is supposed to conceal the king’s face.
The beaded crown “ade” is the foremost attribute of a traditional Yoruba ruler “oba” who can trace his lineage back to one of the sixteen sons of the creater god “ouduwa”.
The crown, which turns the king into a superhuman being, was charged by the “babalawo” with powerful magical substances, which are usually concealed in the very top.
The crown itself is revered as a god (“orisha”). It is stored in a palace shrine with its own attendant and may be publicly displayed on the “oba’s” throne when he is absent since it is believed to protect the town in his stead (according to Alfred L. Scheinberg, may 1991).