African glass beads. Royal crowns from Nigeria. Les couronnes royales de Afrique.

My first connotation with african art is a mask. My second associations when I think about Africa are african beads.
The beads have been available in "Dark Continent" for centuries. The oldest beads made of ostrich eggshells found in Sudan were produced 12,000 years ago.
During my stay among Turkana in Kenya I had filmed women making these disk - shaped beads. The art of oldests adornment which has survived until now.

The beads made of powder glass or glass have determined social and economic status among the pastoral tribes of East Africa and the sophisticated royal courts of West Africa.

Beaded royal crowns in Nigeria were always very revered objects. The crownmakers were real masters of beadworks. The crowns in shape of a wool winter cap were never made according free patterns and an artist's visions.

Yoruba or Mama crowns show full royal symbolism. The colours of beads and a bird at the crown's summit create the supernatural link and a mystic bridge to the devine ancestor's world.

Les couronnes royales perlées au Nigeria ont été révérées les objets.
Les maîtres d'art de perles ont créé des couronnes avec symbolis royal.
Les couleurs de perles et d'un oiseau au sommet de la couronne créent le lien surnaturel et un pont mystique au monde de l'ancêtre.