Ititi ako

Star beads
Description

The Ititi ako is a cluster of coral beads, usually three or four, attached to a pin and used to embellish the royal crowns on Uhunmwu-Elao (commemorative heads) and Uhunmwu-Ẹkuẹ (pendant masks). These bead clusters are also known as star beads, which indicate the prosperous destiny of an individual or wearer. Apart from enhancing the appearance of the wearer, they also represent the individual’s high social status. Judging from their presence on a variety of head sculptures, both men and women wore Ititi ako.

Objects with Ititi ako

282 objects
See all
Institution
Kimbell Art Museum
Object Number
AP 1970.04
Edo designations
Ọba
Pendant Mask
Institution
Hood Museum of Art
Object Number
999.42.33929
Edo designations
Uhunmwu-Ẹkuẹ
Pendant Mask
Institution
Denver Art Museum
Object ID
1959.285
Edo designations
Uhunmwu-Ẹkuẹ
Commemorative Queen Mother Head
Institution
Detroit Institute of Arts
Accession number
26.180
Edo designations
Uhunmwu elao ọghe Iy’ọba
Commemorative Queen Mother Head
Institution
Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields
Accession Number
1989.821
Edo designations
Uhunmwu elao ọghe Iy’ọba
Pendant Mask
Institution
Stanley Museum of Art, University of Iowa
Accession Number
X1986.572
Edo designations
Uhunmwu-Ẹkuẹ
Sensitive Content

Digital Benin collates digital material from institutions, and some of this material is inherently colonial and contains words, terms and phrases that are inaccurate, derogatory and harmful towards African and African diasporic communities. Catalogue transcriptions, book titles, exhibition titles and museum titles may contain harmful terms. We recognise the potential for the material to cause physical and mental distress as well as evoke strong emotions. Owing to the scale of the collection’s data, a process to implement sensitive-content warnings in the displayed data is still incomplete. The material within the catalogue does not represent Digital Benin’s views. Digital Benin maintains a strong anti-colonial, anti-racist position and affirms its support for centring the humanity of historically marginalised and disenfranchised communities. Read more about the background of this statement here