Some of the most splendid African stools and thrones were found in those parts of the continent where gold was mined. The most famous of all was the Golden Stool of the Ashanti people who lived in West Africa. At first glance, the polished wooden object doesn’t look like a stool. It appears to be a sculpture of an old woman, ＿＿（32）＿＿ she carries on her head. Her hands, twice as large as normal, emphasize ＿＿（33）＿＿. But at second glance, one realizes that the old woman’s load is a seat, and the structure is a very special kind of stool. Carved from a single block of wood ＿＿（34）＿＿, the stool is typical of those that were made for rulers of central African kingdoms. It is actually a throne. It represents the African tribal chief’s power and authority, and ＿＿（35）＿＿ has a symbolic meaning.