Accession number
62.89
Edo designations
English designations
Commemorative Head
Categories
Altar & Shrine Objects
Heads
Location
Eskenazi Museum of Art, 1133 E 7th St, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States
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Iconographies

4 annotations
Igan
Feather

Igan (feathers) are commonly depicted tucked into the headdresses and hats of chiefs represented on Emwin Arre (royal treasures). These feathers are from the Oɛɣohɔ (vulturine fish eagle) and symbolise respected old age and proper chieftaincy ( ).

1 annotation
Igan
Udahae
Beaded forehead band

The Udahae is a forehead band made from coral beads and worn by chiefs. Sometimes a white Igan (feather) from the Oɛɣohɔ (vulturine fish eagle) is tucked into the left side of the Udahae. According to Benin oral tradition, the Udahae was introduced by Ọba Ezoti, the first son of Ọba Ewuare I. During his coronation, Ezoti was shot in the forehead with a poisoned arrow. To stop the bleeding, a band of red beads was wrapped around his forehead while he made public appearances. Fourteen days later, he died from his wound. Since then, Benin chiefs have worn the red-beaded Udahae around their foreheads to commemorate the cap used by Ezoti to stop the bleeding (Egharevba 1968, p. 21).

1 annotation
Udahae
Ikharo
Forehead markings

Ikharo are linear keloid markings depicted on the forehead of Uhunmwu-Elao (commemorative heads) in groups of three or four above each eye. The exact meaning of Ikharo is debated; some have argued that they relate to the gender or tribal identification of the person on whom they are depicted. For example, has argued that they were worn only by men; however, their use in depictions is not consistent with this, and the Iy’Ọba are also shown wearing them. argued that they are instead a stylistic feature employed by artists that varied over time.

The naming of these markings differs between publications. For example, describe these markings as “agbaguda n'ehae”, which they write translates literally as “blades of the forehead”. However, later went on to call these “ikharo”, as used here. referred to these forehead markings as ikharo, meaning “tribal mark [of eye]”.

1 annotation
Ikharo
Colar Bead
Odigba
Coral beaded collar

Odigba (coral-beaded collar) is a rigid neck collar made of coral beads, worn as part of ceremonial attire only by senior princes who have been made Enigie (Inneh 2007, p. 107). Although Ibafe (2007, p. 43) argued that the Odigba was introduced during the Ogiso period (c. 900–c. 1170 AD) by Ogiso Ere, along with other symbolically important Emwin Arhe, such as the Ada (ceremonial sword) and the Ẹbẹn (ceremonial sword), this seems unlikely, as coral was only introduced in the late 15th century through trade with Portuguese merchants.

1 annotation
Odigba

Provenance

5 events
Production
unknown to February 22, 1897 (day approximate)
The object was produced by Unknown member(s) of the Igbesamwan guild in Benin City.
Looted
February 22, 1897 (day approximate) to June 1899 (year approximate)
The object was looted by February 1897 Unknown member of the British colonial military campaign on Benin from Benin Kingdom.
Auction
1958
The object was auctioned to Ernst Ascher through Hôtel Drouot in Paris.
Purchase
1962
The object was purchased by Henry Radford & Sarahanne 'Sally' Hope from Ernst Ascher from Paris to Bloomington.
Gift
1962
The object was given as a gift by Henry Radford & Sarahanne 'Sally' Hope to the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art in Bloomington.

Institution data

Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last updated: 2022-02-01
Language: english
Institution fieldValue
Accession number
object id
62.89
Artwork title
designation
Uhunmwum-elao, Ancestral Head, Chief’s Altarpiece
Materials
material
Wood and metal
Dimensions
dimensions
22 1/8 x 11 x 10 in. (56.2 x 27.9 x 25.4 cm)
Date
date made
Date unidentified
Kingdom name
production place
Benin Kingdom
Nation
production place
Nigeria
Credit line
prior source
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Henry R. Hope, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 62.89
Provenance
provenance
1962, Gift to the Indiana University Art Museum from Henry and Sally Hope, Bloomington, Indiana. 1962, Henry Hope purchase from Ascher, Paris, France. 1958, Maitre Reheims, Hotel Drouot, Paris, France.
Culture
ethnic attribution
Edo
Exhibition history
exhibition history
African Exhibit, The Children's Museum, Indianapolis, Indiana, May 1978–January 1986. "African Art Exhibition," Core Program, Saint Joseph's College, Rensselaer, Indiana, 1978 (CANCELLED). “African Artifacts from Indiana University Art Museum,” Art Gallery, Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota, January 26–February 13, 1977. “Traditions in the Arts of ,” University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, March 5–April 15, 1974. “Notre Dame African Exhibition,” African Studies Program, Art Gallery of Notre Dame, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, March 15–April 15, 1973. “African Art Exhibition,” Department of Fine Arts, North Park College, Chicago, Illinois, May 1–August 15, 1973. Cincinnati Museum, Cincinnati, Ohio, February 1971. "African Art Exhibition," Department of Creative Arts, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, March 31–May 8, 1970. “African Art Exhibition,” Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois, September 25–October 23, 1970. "Traditional Art of Africa," DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana, (unknown dates), Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio (unknown dates), Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana (unknown dates), July 26, 1968–April 1, 1969. Stillman College, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Spring 1966.
Published references
bibliography
Sensitive Content

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