Face Pendant

The human face seems to have been the favorite subject of Baule goldsmiths and their patrons Though gold ornaments might sometimes be worn as neck pendants or attached to swords, their most important role was a largely invisible one--as part of a sacred family treasure. These treasures were not to be disposed of, for they were a symbol of family unity stretching back across the generations; very rarely, they were displayed at certain funerals and weddings to honor non-family members

Credit: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979