Kuba Laket Prestige Cap on Stand

This petite cone-shaped cap, known as laket, was created by an artisan of the Kuba peoples of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The base is made of a simple woven raffia fabric, which was then patterned with cowrie shells and dotted with blue and white beads. Secured to the head by a metal pin, such caps were worn to signal one's personal and cultural status within the Kuba political hierarchies. Conical lakets such as this were typically worn by title-holding men, and expensive cowrie shells signal a high-ranking title. The intricately-crafted cap has remained with its wooden stand, used as a hat rack to protect the cap from dirt or damage.