Eingangsnummer
25332
Edo designations
English designations
Commemorative Head
Categories
Altar & Shrine Objects
Heads
Location
Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Museum Weltkulturen D5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
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Iconographies

4 annotations
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
Ititi ako
Star beads

The Ititi ako is a cluster of coral beads, usually three or four, attached to a pin and used to embellish the royal crowns on Uhunmwu-Elao (commemorative heads) and Uhunmwu-Ẹkuẹ (pendant masks). These bead clusters are also known as star beads, which indicate the prosperous destiny of an individual or wearer. Apart from enhancing the appearance of the wearer, they also represent the individual’s high social status. Judging from their presence on a variety of head sculptures, both men and women wore Ititi ako.

1 annotation
Ititi ako
Beaded Crown
Ẹde
Beaded Crown

Although many other members of the Benin royal court wore a variety of hats and forms of headwear, only the Ọba may wear the Ẹde (beaded crown). The Ọba must never be seen bare-headed, and successive Ọbas introduced different styles and types of crowns ( ).

Across different media and objects, Ọbas are depicted wearing various types of crowns, all elaborately crafted from coral beads. Some feature tall projections rising from the crown, known as Oro, while others have curved projections extending from either side of the head, known as the winged cap. The latter was introduced only in the 19th century, most likely by Ọba Osẹmwẹndẹ ( ). Depictions of Ọba Esigie on Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (bronze relief plaques) show him wearing an elaborate crown decorated with large jasper or coral beads ( ).

1 annotation
Ẹde

Provenance

5 events
Production
unknown to February 22, 1897 (day approximate)
The object was produced by Unknown member(s) of the Igun-Ẹrọnmwọn 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.
Unknown
February 22, 1897 (day approximate) to 1899
The object is known to have come into contact with Hans Meyer, later in Leipzig.
Gift
1899
The object was given as a gift by Hans Meyer to Badisches Landesmuseum from Leipzig to Karlsruhe.
Exchange
1935
The object was exchanged between Badisches Landesmuseum and the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Museum Weltkulturen from Karlsruhe to Mannheim.

Institution data

Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Museum Weltkulturen
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last updated: 2021-09-23
Language: german
Institution fieldValue
Alte Inventarnummer
object id
A 6625
Alte Nummer
object id
Eingangsnummer
object id
25332
Inventarnummer
object id
IV Af 4916
Titel (Museumsobjekt)
designation
Gedenkkopf eines Oba
Material
material
Metall
Maße zum Objekt
dimensions
Länge: 25,00 cm; Breite: 25,00 cm; Höhe: 33,00 cm
Objektbezeichnung
object type
Kopf
Fundort/Herkunft
production place
Benin-Reich <hist.>
Voreigentümer/in
prior source
provenance
Meyer, Hans, Dr.
Ethnie/Sprachgruppe
ethnic attribution
Sammlung
department and institution
VK IV Afrika
Eingangsjahr
accession date
1935
Eingangsart
accession method
Ringtausch Karlsruhe
Bild
images
rem/Carolin Breckle
Sensitive Content

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