Crowns (akil) are part of the liturgical vestments of the Ethiopian Christian Church and part of the Church treasury. Crowns are worn by priests and deacons during important religious festivals and at marriages. The first mention of crowns in Ethiopia dates from the seventeenth-century.
The surface of this rare brass crown is finely adorned with circle and dot decorations, a design that serves as a protective symbol throughout Africa. Attached to the lower rim of the crown are small aluminium tassels, which would have rattled together and chimed as the priest moves.
Ex Private Collection, UK
Estimated Period: Early 20th Century
Reference
M. J. Arnoldi & C. M. Kreamer, Crowning Achievements: African Arts of Dressing The Head
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