Emwiurhu (neck ornament) is used to describe anything which is worn around the neck. These can be made from various materials like coral beads, bronze and brass. They would be used as decoration, or they may serve a ritual protective function.

Coral bead necklaces would have marked the wearer’s high status. As noted by Von Luschan (1919

), very few examples of complete necklaces made their way into European collections after the 1897 invasion and looting. However, there are many beads in collections, which may have once been necklaces, bracelets or anklets. Other neck ornaments, such as chains with small charms or amulets attached, may have had medicinal or protective purposes for the wearer. The wide range of materials used to make these neck ornaments offers a tangible insight into the far-reaching connections of Benin Kingdom in the past – coral beads from the Mediterranean, red Ododo flannel fabric, and so on.

Emwiurhu

Neck Ornament

Austria

Website

Online Catalogue

Weltmuseum Wien

Internal Data (ger)

Maschmann, Wilhelm Albert

Intermediary

Dealer

Suggestion: The word juju in itself is not harmful in as much as it refers to the belief system. It can be used in a harmful or derogatory way and is context dependent. Please assess the context of this word as a user of the platform.

 more about the background of this statement here.

juju 

Suggestion: Replace with, “a person of short stature,” “little person” or "someone with dwarfism". (See 

Read more about the background of this statement here.

dwarf

Suggestion: Replace with First Nations, First people, or particular community name. (See 

aboriginal

Suggestion: Replace with the name of the particular community and delete where it is used to reference an already identified group, e.g Igbo ~~tribe.~~

tribe

This word was redacted from the catalogue as a derogatory racialised word.

DB_redacted_word

Suggestion: Be as specific as possible in terms of country, population etc. (See 

non-western

western-art

western museum

tribal

hofzwerg

For more information on this term and its violent and inherently harmful context to indigenous communities, see 

British Colonial Military Campaign on Benin, February 1897

expedition

exotic

negro

Suggestion: Replace with the word Africa.

Black Africa

Warning: This word is used in a historic context of a title for a book, exhibition, institution name or book description etc. We recognise the potential for the material to cause physical and mental distress as well as evoke strong emotions. The material within the catalogue does not represent Digital Benin’s views. Digital Benin maintains a strong anti-colonial, anti-racist position and affirms its support for centring the humanity of historically marginalised and disenfranchised communities.

Read more about the background of this statement here

primitive

Suggestion: Replace with traditional healer, spiritual healer, or specific name that particular communities use to define this role. (See 

medicine man

Suggestion: Replace in cases where it used to describe human beings, with the term indigenous communities, first people or particular community name.