170. Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool). Ashanti peoples (south central Ghana). c. 1700 C.E. Gold over wood and cast-gold attachments.

• Form
  • Entire surface inlaid with golf
  • Bells hang from the side to warn the king of danger
  • Replicas often used in ceremonies, but each replica is different
• Function
  • Symbol of the Ashanti nation, in Ghana
  • Contains the soul of the nation
  • Never actually used as a stool; never allowed to touch the ground; it is placed oj a stool of its own
  • According to Ashanti tradition, it was brought down from heaven by a priest and fell into the lap of the Ashanti king, Osei Tutu
  • It became the repository of the spirit of the nation; it is the symbol of the mystical bond among all Ashanti
• Context
  • A new king is raised over the stool
  • The stool is carried to the king on a pillow; he alone is allowed to touch it
  • Taken out on special occasions
  • War of the Golden Stool: March-September 1900:
    • Conflict over British Sovereignty in Ghana
    • A British representative who tried to sit on the stool caused an uproar and a subsequent rebellion
    • The war ended with British annexation and Ashanti de facto independence