Old Large Ashanti Ceremonial Stool – Ahenkro Region, Ghana

Wood. Dimensions: 57.3 cm wide × 35.0 cm high × 29.0 cm deep (22.56 × 13.78 × 11.42 in). Weight: 5,744 g (12.66 lb).

Among the Akan peoples of Ghana, including the Ashanti, stools are not merely functional objects but central symbols of authority, lineage, and spiritual continuity. An Ashanti stool, often carved from a single block of wood, serves both as a seat and as a metaphysical object, embodying the soul of the owner or of the office it represents. The most sacred example is the Golden Stool (Sika Dwa Kofi), which symbolizes the unity and spiritual essence of the Ashanti nation rather than a personal throne.

The design of Ashanti stools typically consists of a rectangular or slightly curved seat supported by carved legs, frequently incorporating symbolic animal, human, or geometric forms. A distinctive feature observed in many stools is the presence of one or more holes in the seat. These perforations are not purely decorative; symbolically, they are interpreted as conduits for spiritual energy, allowing the stool’s protective forces or “soul” to circulate and interact with the surrounding world. In some interpretations, the openings also permit the placement of ritual substances, such as herbs or charms, intended to enhance the stool’s protective and metaphysical functions.

Thus, the perforations operate simultaneously on a practical and symbolic level: they lighten the structure while reinforcing the stool’s role as a mediator between the physical and spiritual realms. Ashanti stools are traditionally classified according to their use and symbolic status, with the presence, number, and arrangement of holes often corresponding to these categories. Royal stools, including those associated with chiefs and sub‑chiefs, tend to be larger and more elaborately carved, while clan or family stools are generally smaller, sometimes rectangular or gently curved, and typically feature one or two holes aligned along the longitudinal axis.

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