TERA Gallery - African Art and Antiquities

"Altering The Way You View The World Of Art"
Type of Object:
    Fon Chief Collar

    These Chief’s Neckrings with buffalo and human heads
    were originally part of the Fon's (king) personal regalia.
    Other title holders could also own them. These examples
    were probably made long after the forced abdication and
    death of King Njoya in 1933. The neckring is made by the
    Bamilele people of the Bagam kingdom in Cameroon.  It
    was cast in bronze using the lost wax process.

    The perfectly cast heads on the flat bronze neckring are the
    Royal human icon shown wearing traditional royal
    headdresses or are stylizations of masks worn by men in
    the Kwifon secret society. This society played an important
    role in balancing the power of the king and also was danced
    at funerals of important men of the community or to welcome
    dignitaries or it appeared during important ceremonial
    events

    A complex collar like this were restricted in wearing to royal
    elites and  would be worn by a Fon (ruler) on special
    occasions when it was necessary to make a full display of
    the insignia of their Royal office. Primary among these was
    the public installation of a new Fon.  The flat iron band with
    interlocking hook supporting 12 fine cast human-heads,
    each attached individually with a loop on the reverse.


Ethnic Group:
    Bamun Society
    Fumban Society

Country of Origin:  
    Cameroon

Material:   
    Bronze

Dimensions:
    12" diameter

Reference:                  
    Expressions of Cameroon Art , T. Northern, Castle Press,
    1986)

    Art of the Cameroon, by Tamara Northern.