Crown for the King of Ardra, anonymous, c. 1664

Crown for the King of Ardra, anonymous, c. 1664

casting, h 28cm × d 18cm More details

This crown was intended as a diplomatic gift to the king of Ardra (a kingdom in West Africa) to promote trade in enslaved Africans. The nature and extent of human trafficking and slavery in West Africa changed with the arrival of the Dutch West India Company (WIC). Besides the fact that people were now being shipped to other continents, the colonial system made the status of enslaved people inheritable and linked to skin colour.

On display in room 2.9 Visit via the Colonial Past tour

Color code: #ECEBD2 Color code: #5F3D34 Color code: #C1C1BF Color code: #B4A983 Color code: #2A120F Color code: #878067

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