Beaded Cap

woven raffia covered with red wool on which are three large frogs made of applique green and beige squares surrounded by blue wool blanket stitching; triangular area of white beads in front and back; each frog also has eyes of white beads with blue bead centers; raffia ties at center back

Old accession tag inside cap : "14030.0, NW Kamerun" suggests that it may have come froma German collection. The shape of the cap is that of prestige caps worn in Bamoun, The iconography of frogs and perhaps snakes symbolized in the blue and green beadwork around each of the white areas is also typical for Bamoun. A hat with similar iconography, once worn by the Fon of Banso, is illustrated in Tamara Northern, THE SIGN OF THE LEOPARD. Storrs, CT: 1975., p. 74-cat. card