Certain objects (staffs of office, scepters, fly whisks, etc.) are exclusive attributes of the office of chief or king, a set of objects known as regalia. These are the physical symbols of the chief's power. Staves of command or scepters have always been the insignia of African kings. In some cases, they may also have served as phallic symbols evoking notions of power and fertility, in association with royalty. Provenance: Pierre Langlois, Paris