Part of a collection made by Hugh N Nevins, District Officer, Benin City, for the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum. Purchased by the WHMM on 15 January 1929 for £3.0.0.
Commemorative head; made of terracotta. Human head depicted wearing high beaded coral collar, beaded udaeba headband and beaded necklace. Head has tiered hairstyle, three raised scarification marks over right proper eye, two raised marks over left proper eye. Incised marks over upper eyelids, irises impressed. Hole through centre of head.
The Wellcome Historical Medical Museum flimsy inventory card records: 'Head. Terra cotta, showing detail of headdress and necklet; hole running through centre.5" x 3 3/4". (Piece missing from headdress). ) Found on the Benin Ancestral altars. (The making of these heads is now virtually extinct).' See Collection File: Af1954,23.265-281.~Register 1954 Another [clay human head], similar [to Af1954,23.268], right hand side of headgear broken, slight damage to base.