Royal Beaded Stool with Image of Dog or Hyena

Origin: Bamum Tribe, Cameroon
Composition: glass beads, cowrie shells, internal wood frame

This is a highly collectible beaded stool from the Bamum tribe in grassland Cameroon, with the image of the dog (often associated with divination) or hyena (often associated with unity/collective strength), a fine example of African beadwork and an outstanding prestige piece. The beads are all stitched on by hand, and these beads and cowry shells, historically traded as currency, are often associated with wealth and prestige. Secular and religious objects may be adorned with beads in the Bamun kingdom and throughout the grasslands of Cameroon. Est. mid to late 20th century.

The grassland region, in south-west Cameroon, is a hilly and mountainous area covered by an equatorial forest in the south and a savannah in the north. Politically, the area is divided into numerous small independent kingdoms and chiefdoms, whose powers are counterbalanced by male and female societies. Since its colonization by the Germans in 1884, the entire region, in particular the Bamileke, Bamum and Tikar territories, has attracted the attention of Western scholars because of its artistic heritage (Passage from Bacquart, Tribal Arts of Africa).