Registration Number: Af1910,0513.1
Institution media
9 images
Institution data
Internal Data (eng)Internal Data (eng)
British Museum
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last Updated: 2022-08-04
Language: English
Registration NumberObject ID
Af1910,0513.1
Object Name - CommentDesignation
~
Object Name - Object NameDesignation
pendant mask~regalia
TitleDesignation
Benin Ivory
Title translationDesignation
Title typeDesignation
Series
Object History Note / Acquisition NoteDescription, Provenance, Notes
Physical descriptionDescription
Pendant mask; regalia; carved from ivory. In form of naturalistic human face. Hairstyle carved in low relief; head crowned with circlet of European heads inlaid with copper alloy. Decorative pierced lattice-work ruff below chin inlaid with copper alloy; series of suspension loops around outside. Two vertical bars incised into forehead inlaid with iron. Four scarification marks carved above each eye. Iron inlay around eyes; pupils inlaid wth iron. Two suspension loops on each side of face.
MaterialMaterial
elephant ivory~iron~copper alloy
Material - CommentMaterial
~~
DimensionDimensions
H~W~X
Dimension commentDimensions
~~
Dimension measurement unitDimensions
cm~cm~cm
Dimension noteDimensions
Dimension valueDimensions
24.50~12.50~6.00
Dimension value endDimensions
~~
Inscription - NoteInscriptions
Inscription - QuotedInscriptions
Inscription languageInscriptions
Inscription positionInscriptions
Inscription translationInscriptions
Inscription typeInscriptions
Production dateDate Made
16thC
Production date - CommentDate Made
Producer/Artist - AssociationProducer
Producer/Artist - NameProducer
TechniqueProduction Technique
carved~inlaid
Technique - CommentProduction Technique
~
Production placeProduction Place
Benin City
Production place - AssociationProduction Place
M
Production place - CommentProduction Place
Production place - Site detailsProduction Place
Previous owner - AssociationPrior Source
PO
Previous owner - CommentPrior Source
Previous owner - NamePrior Source
Moor, Ralph Denham Rayment
Acquisition Funding Source NameProvenance
Acquisition Funding Source Name AssociationProvenance
Acquisition Funding Source Name CommentProvenance
Acquisition NameProvenance
Seligman, Charles Gabriel
Acquisition Name AssociationProvenance
P
Acquisition Name CommentProvenance
Excavation/Field Collection NoteProvenance
Looted during British Expedition to Benin City, 1897.
Excavator/Field collector - AssociationProvenance
FC
Excavator/Field collector - NameProvenance
Moor, Ralph Denham Rayment
Associated event - AssociationEvent
Associated event - EventEvent
Associated placePlace Collected
Associated place - AssociationPlace Collected
Findspot - AssociationPlace Collected
F
Findspot - CommentPlace Collected
Findspot - PlacePlace Collected
Benin City
Findspot - Site detailsPlace Collected
Associated name - AssociationReign Associated Name
IR
Associated name - CommentReign Associated Name
?
Associated name - NameReign Associated Name
Idia
Associated ethnic name - AssociationEthnic Attribution
Associated ethnic name - Ethnic NameEthnic Attribution
Production ethnic name - AssociationEthnic Attribution
M
Production ethnic name - CommentEthnic Attribution
Production ethnic name - Ethnic NameEthnic Attribution
Edo
Responsible departmentDepartment and Institution
E
CommentNotes
This is one of five stylistically similar ivory hip-pendants that were produced specifically for the use of the Oba during the sixteenth century. Three of the other masks of this type are in public collections in the UK and the USA. They are recorded as being found in a cache in the bedchamber of the Oba in Benin City and were looted during the British expedition of 1897. These hip-pendants are thought to represent Queen Mother Idia, the mother of Oba Esigie (c.1504-1550), celebrated as one of the great ‘warrior kings’, who ruled in the sixteenth century. Esigie created the title of Queen Mother in honour of Idia and in gratitude for her efforts in supporting his military campaigns. These pendants are widely considered as some of the finest ivory carvings in the Benin corpus. They are also among the most enduring and emotive examples of the representation of women in Benin court art. ~This type of mask was worn by the Oba, on the hip, during important ceremonies. The mask is said to represent Idia, mother of Oba Esigie who ruled in the sixteenth century. The top of the hip mask is decorated with heads representing the Portuguese, symbolizing Benin's alliance with and control over Europeans. The Portuguese continued to appear in Benin art long after they had disappeared from Benin itself. P. Girshick Ben-Amos, The Art of Benin (London, The British Museum Press, 1995)
Exhibitions Loans and Displays - Current and PastExhibition History
Exhibited: 1970-1973, London, Museum of Mankind, Divine Kingship in Africa 1993-1997, London, Museum of Mankind, Great Benin: a West African Kingdom
Bibliographic reference - CitationBibliography
Bibliographic reference - CommentBibliography
Bibliographic reference - ReferenceBibliography
ConditionCondition
34302001;72489001;85692001;499817001;522264001;604175001;834055001;834055003;884004001