Rigilim
General Introduction
The symbols of rulership In Andaperna cultures are manifold, but one that stands out is the crown worn by kings belonging to the Ipuram ethnicity, which is called Rigilim ('exalted headdress' in their language). It is a sort of turban made from the softest and finest fabric. Its main colours are white and blue, representing purity and deep wisdom. Rigilim have been around for a long time and even though their materials are easily perishable, ancient stone carvings show their long history in the royal houses of the Ipuram people.
Description
The Rigilim is made of three major parts, one of which has a strictly technical function, which is to lend stability to the turban like crown. It is a kind of scaffolding woven from reed called suninni. It is made of a ring going around the head at the height of the forehead and ears and of an oval shaped dome which goes over the cranium.
The second part is a kind of turban, bound and weaved in an intricate manner. It is called sirkug, which translates roughly to 'holy and heavenly song'. This is because the individual strings of the turban represent lines of the epic Ensika Sirkug (holy and heavenly song of our father) recited as part of the coronation ceremony, which tells the story of Suluka, father of the Ipuram people and first king of the first Ipuram kingdom.
The last part is the blue lanyard representing to the sky, the skygod and his wisdom. Its name is sagalsu, which means 'connection to heavenly wisdom', with sagal (heavenly wisdom) being an epithet for Anutu, the great sky god and god of wisdom. The sagalsu is woven into the sirkug in such a manner, that it shows up on the surface according to the mention of Anutu in the Ensika Sirkug. It is bound to a knot at the top for the turban, the point closest to heaven to emphasize the connection between the king and the heaven.
The history and meaning of the Rigilim
Rigilim have been an integral part of Ipuram kingship since the earliest times. As with many ancient traditions, the oldest proof and documentation of Rigilim can be found in stone reliefs on ancient temples or sometimes ruins of old palaces. One of these reliefs even shows the tripartite nature of the crown, as it has several panels showing different parts of the coronation ceremony. One panel shows the scaffolding, the suninni, being put on the kings head, while another indicates the turban to be made out of two pieces of cloth. Nowadays the entire Rigilim is first assembled and then placed on the kings head. Thus the relief also shows a shift in how the ceremony is held.
Item type
Clothing / Accessory
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