Accession Number2001/2.44
TitleBeaded Staff
Artist(s)YorubaArtist NationalityYoruba (culture or style)Object Creation Date20th centuryMedium & Supportwood with beadsDimensions 14 15/16 in x 1 in x 1 in (37.9 cm x 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm)
Credit LineGift of Margaret H. and Albert J. CoudronSubject matterThis beaded staff, called
opa ileke in the Yoruba language, may have formed part of the regalia of an
oba, a sacred Yoruba king. Beadwork was a sign of wealth and status, reserved for royals and religious leaders. Seed beads were introduced in the 19th century by European traders; the many colors allowed craftsmen to create patterns that showed the authority of the
oba. Certain combinations of colors also referenced various
orisas, or gods, through the 'hot' or 'cool' properties of different colors.
References Cited:
Doris, David. 2004.
Masterworks of African Art: Yoruba Images and Aesthetics. Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Museum of Art.
Drewal, Henry John. 1989.
Yoruba: Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought. New York: Center for African Art.
Drewal, Henry John and John Mason. 1998. Beads Body and Soul: Art and Light in the Yorùbá Universe. Los Angeles: UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History.
Pemberton, John. 2008.
African Beaded Art: Power and Adornment. Northampton: Smith College Museum of Art.
Physical DescriptionWooden staff covered with multi-colored beadwork in repeating triangular patterns.
Primary Object Classification Sculpture Primary Object TypestaffCollection AreaAfricanRightsIf you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit
http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Keywords
beads
ceremonial costume
costume accessories
kings (people)
power
regalia
staff
symbols of office or status