An elaborately beaded Yoruba royal crown (adé) from Nigeria, worked in striking black and white. Crowns like this are worn by Yoruba kings and high-ranking chiefs on ceremonial occasions, where they are believed to help the wearer take on sacred, otherworldly power.
A fringe of beads falls over the wearer's face, forming a veil that shields onlookers from the overwhelming presence of the ruler in this divine aspect — one of the most distinctive features of Yoruba regalia.
Entirely handmade, so each crown is one of a kind in pattern and detail.
