BAMUM Chieftain's Brass Collar (45 cm Diameter — Cast Mask-Heads, Royal Pageantry Regalia)

A heavy, circular brass necklace or collar measuring 45 cm in diameter. The rigid ring is evenly adorned with multiple small, highly detailed, lost-wax cast human and animal mask heads.

1. Aesthetic Style and Miniature Portraiture

This chieftain's necklace demonstrates Grassfields miniature casting. The heavy, rigid brass ring serves as an armature for a series of detailed, small-scale masks. The artist utilized the cire perdue (lost-wax) technique to replicate the volumetric facial features typical of Bamum art — bulging eyes, broad noses, and distinct coiffures — on a micro level. The inclusion of both human and zoomorphic (animal) heads creates a rhythmic, visually dense collar that complements the heavily ornamented textiles worn by Grassfields royalty.

2. Ritual Function and Royal Pageantry

This heavy brass collar is associated with elite royal pageantry. As documented by Hornek, during major state ceremonies — homage to the Sultan of Foumban, rituals honouring the dead, and masked processions on various occasions — the leaders of the chiefdoms adorned themselves in their valuable regalia. Wearing this necklace alongside the typical burled cap and a ceremonial sword in its ornamented sheath served as an external declaration of the chief's status, wealth, and connection to the spirits depicted on the collar. As Hornek notes, jewellery like this serves a complementary function to treasury-displayed prestige objects: it makes the chief's importance visible during public ceremonies.

3. Patina, Material Weathering, and Indications of Age

The brass ring exhibits a multi-toned handling patina. The interior surface of the collar — which would have rested directly against the textiles of the chief's garments or his skin — is smooth and polished, consistent with friction from wear. The miniature cast heads show dark oxidation in the deep crevices of the eyes and coiffures, highlighting the details of the casting. This natural, uneven aging is consistent with a history of use as a worn piece of Bamum royal jewelry.

Summary

This brass necklace is an example of miniature Bamum casting associated with state pageantry. Its polished interior and detailed, oxidized heads are consistent with active use by the Grassfields elite.