‘Ogiso ma m’ẹmwẹn ẹ fian agba’ (When the Ogiso does not have a case to judge, he will not ask for Agba to be made)

The Agba is regarded as the stool of judgement, and according to oral tradition, it originated during the Ogiso dynasty. In Benin Kingdom, there are two kinds of stools with ceremonial and ritual functions: the Agba and the 

. The Agba is rectangular in shape, with a carved panel forming the seat and four carved interconnected panels that serve as the legs. Agba may be used by the Ọba, chiefs and some priests, and it is believed they were carved by members of the Emada (Hess, 1983, p.41

). The Erhe has a circular seat and base with a central supporting column and can be cast in brass or carved in wood. Although a third kind of stool, the Ekete, has been identified in literature (e.g. Ezra 1992, p.263

), our own research indicates that the word means ‘throne’ and can be used to describe any kind of stool the Ọba may sit upon, thus both the Agba and Erhe could be Ekete as well. (Hess, 1983, p.41

Agba

In Benin Kingdom, there are two different kinds of stool that have ceremonial and ritual functions, these are the Agba and Erhe. Although a 3rd kind of stool, called 

, has been identified in literature (e.g. Ezra 1992, p.263

), our own research indicated this word means ‘throne’ and can be used to describe any kind of stool that the Ọba may sit upon, Thus both the Agba and Erhe could in fact be _Ekete _as well. The Agba is rectangular in shape, with a carved panel forming the seat and four carved interconnected panels that serve as the legs. Agba may be used by the Ọba, chiefs and some priests (Hess, 1983, p.41

). The Erhe is formed of a circular seat and base with a central supporting column and can be cast in brass or carved in wood.

Stool

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

The British Museum’s archives are held in various locations across the institution. The items listed here aim to give an overview of the main locations where relevant archival and photographic material relating to objects from the Kingdom of Benin is housed. Key areas relevant for cultural objects from the Kingdom of Benin are: Corporate Archives; Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas archives; Department of Britain, Europe and Prehistory archives; and the Anthropology Library and Research Centre.

Website

Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas 

Online Catalogue

Library & Archive

British Museum

Internal Data (eng)

Rollin & Feuardent

Dealer

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non-western

western-art

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tribal

hofzwerg

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British Colonial Military Campaign on Benin, February 1897

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primitive

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