A headdress (anfarro) made from a ring of lion's mane, held in a filigree gilt metal coronet studded with blue and red gemstones with a green silk lining. Ribbons of green, yellow and red hang from the back.

Lion's hair was an important symbol of kingship and valour. The hereditary line of Abyssinian kings used the title 'Lion of Judah', claiming descent from the Israelite King Solomon, of the tribe of Judah. At the time this anfarro was made, the Lion of Judah also appeared on the Ethiopian flag.

Reserved for great warriors and statesmen, headdresses like these worn on the battlefield or on ceremonial occasions until the 1930s.