A mixture of plaiting, knotting, tying and knitting combine to create this tightly woven rare fibre chieftain's prestige head adornment from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Woven fibre hats are worn by many men and women throughout the DRC as part of their daily dress, and also as emblems of title. This particular type of hat, with its complex woven fibre surface structure adorned with bird feathers of the forest, would have been worn as an insignia and title of higher rank amongst the Nkutschu chiefs and elders.
Estimated Period: Late 19th/Early 20th Century
Diameter: 19cm
References
Mary Jo Arnoldi & Christine Mullen Kreamer, 'Crowning Achievements: African Arts of Dressing The Head', p. 88
Flower Museum of Cultural History
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