Registration Number: Af1961,09.1
Institution media
5 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
Af1961,09.1
Object Name - CommentDesignation
Object Name - Object NameDesignation
commemorative head
TitleDesignation
Title translationDesignation
Title typeDesignation
Object History Note / Acquisition NoteDescription, Provenance, Notes
British Expedition to Benin City, 1897. Donated by Admiral Rawson to the Admiralty following the British Expedition to Benin City in 1897. Subsequently mounted in the First Lord's office until donated to the Museum in 1961.
Physical descriptionDescription
Commemorative head; lost-wax cast in brass. In form of human head, hollow with opening in top. Three raised scarification marks above eyes. Openwork coral bead cap decorated with additional large beads; single bead at front over forehead. Strands of beads and braids at sides of face and at back. Deep coral bead collar over chin to below mouth. Flanged base with various symbols in low relief.
MaterialMaterial
brass
Material - CommentMaterial
DimensionDimensions
H~W~X~M
Dimension commentDimensions
~~~
Dimension measurement unitDimensions
cm~cm~cm~kg
Dimension noteDimensions
Dimension valueDimensions
54.00~29.80~32.70~26.90
Dimension value endDimensions
~~~
Inscription - NoteInscriptions
Inscription - QuotedInscriptions
Inscription languageInscriptions
Inscription positionInscriptions
Inscription translationInscriptions
Inscription typeInscriptions
Production dateDate Made
1888
Production date - CommentDate Made
circa
Producer/Artist - AssociationProducer
Producer/Artist - NameProducer
TechniqueProduction Technique
lost-wax cast
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
Previous owner - CommentPrior Source
Previous owner - NamePrior Source
Acquisition Funding Source NameProvenance
Acquisition Funding Source Name AssociationProvenance
Acquisition Funding Source Name CommentProvenance
Acquisition NameProvenance
Admiralty
Acquisition Name AssociationProvenance
D
Acquisition Name CommentProvenance
Excavation/Field Collection NoteProvenance
Excavator/Field collector - AssociationProvenance
FC
Excavator/Field collector - NameProvenance
Rawson, Harry Holsworth
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
PO~F
Associated name - CommentReign Associated Name
? commissioned by~?
Associated name - NameReign Associated Name
Oba Ovonramwen N'Ogbaisi~Oba Adolo
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
Trustees Committee minutes, 8 July 1961 and Special Report by Adrian Digby, 26 June 1961 record : 'The tusk [Af1961,09.2] is probably of the nineteenth century, and the head was almost certainly cast in1888 when Oba Adolo died and his son, Ovonramwen, on his accession, set up an altar in his memory. '~Heads of ths late type show the exaggerated choker of coral beads and complex coral headdress worn by the king of Benin on ceremonial occasions. The latter is said to recall the ada sword that symbolises the right to take human life. Around the base are depictions of leopards, rams' heads and other manifestations of power. (Label text: Man and Metal in Ancient Nigeria, 1991). ~See Collection File: Af1961,09.1-2.~Register 1961: 'Brass casting of a head, aperture at top, circular flange at base ornamented with various animals and objects. BENIN- probably made in 1888, taken at the Benin Expedition, of 1897.'
Exhibitions Loans and Displays - Current and PastExhibition History
Exhibited: 1970-1973, London, Museum of Mankind, Divine Kingship in Africa 1991 Feb-Apr, Norwich, Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Man and Metal in Ancient Nigeria 2004 Jun-Aug, Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Centro Cultural de la Fundacio 'la Caixa', Africa: The Invention of the Human Body 2004 Sep-Oct, Tarragona, Spain, Centro Social y Cultural de la Fundacio 'la Caixa', Africa: The Invention of the Human Body 2004-2005 Nov-Jan, Valencia, Spain, Sala de exposiciones l'Almondi, Africa: The Invention of the Human Body 2005 Feb-Apr, Zaragoza, Spain, La Lonja, Africa: The Invention of the Human Body 2007-2008 Apr-Oct, Bristol, Empire and Commonwealth Museum, Slavery, Abolition and the Making of Modern Britain
Bibliographic reference - CitationBibliography
Bibliographic reference - CommentBibliography
Bibliographic reference - ReferenceBibliography
ConditionCondition