item #680

from: Ivory Coast

tribe: Baule

price: $3950.00

This royal Baule ring bears a representation of a crown, topped by what appears to be a tiny bundle of sticks. That "bundle of sticks" represents, in fact, a cocoon of a type found commonly in Africa (though I do not know its species). The ring is a reference to a proverb which, loosely translated, says that it is a mystery whether a caterpillar builds its cocoon around itself or if it builds the cocoon and then gets in it. The significance is that there is a certain amount of mystery necessary to being a king, or a ruler of any kind. It is not necessary for everyone to understand all that a king understands. From another point of view, this serves also as a justification for his rule: if the king indeed has the knowledge which is a mystery to the public then it is his duty and right to be the king. The fact that the cocoon is on top of a crown reinforces the power of this symbolism.

photo # 680.1