Bamileke Ashetu or Ceremonial Hat, Based

Rank was worn on the head. Among the Bamileke of Cameroon, that was understood.

This ashetu, a ceremonial hat made in the 20th century, belongs to the tradition that treated the human head as a place of honor. Fine hats announced the dignity of the men who wore them. It is worked in hemp in tight coils that spiral out from the crown and descend in a tiered, bell-like profile. Dozens of short tubular projections stand out across the surface. The fiber is a natural warm tan throughout.

Eight inches tall, mounted on a black stand. It needs no head to be impressive. It does, however, remember one.