Accession book entry: : Sir George Denton K.C.M.G. 1917. Small human mask cast in brass by cire-perdu process, W. Africa.; Accession book entry: : [added] - 'Benin.' Accession Book entry - [added] - No. given. LM.; Card Catalogue entry: : [Uncertain if this entry matches this object record] Human mask with headdress of coral beadwork.
Research Notes: Sir George Chardin Denton (1851-1928) was Colonial Secretary of the Colony of Lagos from 1889 to 1900, then Administrator (renamed in 1901 Governor) of the Gambia until 1911. [Dan Hicks 9/12/2019]
There are other entries from a Captain and Mrs Denton and a Mrs Denton which might also be from George Chardin Denton [and his wife, actually called Jean Margaret Alan Denton, died 1900] but as Denton is not an uncommon name I have not added this possibility to the PRM source field for these entries, calling up Denton calls up the 70 relevant total entries [AP 19/11/2001]
Masks like this were symbols of leadership in Benin. They were worn by the Oba and the Edo chiefs and also sent to the Oba's vassal leaders as emblems of their authority. While the Edo chiefs wore these masks attached to their belts, often on the left hip, vassal leaders wore them around their necks. [LMM ?]
Archaological / Ethnographic
Archival documentation ID
Class
Class: Mask; Class: Ornament; Class: Insignia; Class: Religion; Class: Status