Digital Benin - Brooklyn Museum - 6_45737

Brooklyn Museum

ObjectID: 45737

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Digital Benin research

Digital Benin linked field

Value

Edo designation

English designation

200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11238, United States

Institution data

Internal Data (eng)

Brooklyn Museum

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Last Updated: 2021-06-30

Language: english

Digital Benin linked field	Institution field	Value
object id	ObjectID	45737
designation, object type	Title	Altar Tusk
description	Description	Large carved elephant tusk with multiple figures in low relief. Figures carved on the tusk include divine representations of a deceased king such as the fish and a man with two crocodiles issuing from his head. In addition men holding spears, a European with a crossbow, an ibis with a catfish in its bill, etc. are shown.
material	Medium	Elephant ivory
dimensions	Dimensions	80 11/16 x 5 1/2 in. (205 x 14 cm)
inscriptions	Inscriptions	"39.110" in black along the outside edge of the base; "AF/5066" inside the opening
date made	Alpha Sort 2	18th century
date made	Begin Date	1701
production place	Geography	Place made: Benin City, Royal Court of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria, Africa
prior source	Credit Line	Alfred W. Jenkins Fund
provenance	Provenance	Until 1897, Benin Kingdom; 1897, reportedly taken from the Royal Palace during the British military raid and occupation of Benin City by an unidentified British agent; between 1897 and 1921, provenance not yet documented; before 1921, reportedly collection of Lieutenant-Colonel Maximilian John de Bathe; by 1921, acquired by William O. Oldman, London; 1921, purchased from William O. Oldman by the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology; 1939, transferred from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology to the Brooklyn Museum, by exchange.
ethnic attribution	Alpha Sort	Edo
ethnic attribution	Maker	Edo
exhibition history	Exhibition History	Possibly exhibited at University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, PA, 1922, exact dates unconfirmed.
bibliography	Published References	Blackmun, Barabara W. The Iconography of Carved Altar Tusks from Benin. Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Los Angeles. Ann Arbor: University Microfilms, 1984.Hall, H. U. 1922. "Great Benin Royal Altar". The Museum Journal, University of Pennsylvania XIII, No.2 (June), pp. 105-168. Actual Citation: Page 107/Fig. 34/Plate: 122. The Museum Journal, University of Pennsylvania VIII, no. 4 (1922?). [No author or title given on original catalogue card, perhaps same as above?]
	Object Number	39.110
	Sort Number	1939 110