Iconographies

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Ẹkpẹn

Leopard

See Ẹkpẹn page

The Ẹkpẹn (leopard) is an animal that appears most often among the motifs decorating the Emwin Arhe (royal treasures). The Ẹkpẹn symbolises the valour and strength of the Ọba, as well as his political authority. The Benin people eulogise the Ọba as the ‘ẹkpẹn n'owa’ (leopard of the home).

When a hunter kills a leopard, he must say “ẹkpẹn n'oha” (I killed a bush leopard), as it is taboo to say that a hunter killed a leopard without specifying that it is a bush leopard, as otherwise this would “be tantamount to symbolically killing the king” (Nevadomsky 1988, p. 81). For this reason, leopards of the bush are called Atalakpa to distinguish them from those that represent the Ọba.

1 annotation

Provenance

4 events

Production

1500 (year approximate) 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

unknown to February 28, 1980

The object is known to have come into contact with R. Vaxelaire.

Donation

February 28, 1980

The object was donated by R. Vaxelaire to the AfricaMuseum, Royal Museum for Central Africa with its destination in Tervuren.

Institution data

AfricaMuseum, Royal Museum for Central Africa

The data was retrieved from the institution's website.

Last updated: 2021-10-12

Language: english

Institution field	Value
Inventory number object id	EO.1979.21.4
Materials material	metals > copper (and alloys) > bronze, metals > iron (and alloys)
Dimensions dimensions	15,3 cm x 8,4 cm
Object type object type	musical instrument > idiophone > bell > bell with internal clapper
Acquisition related person prior source	Mrs. R. Vaxelaire, as donor
Date of acquisition date collected	1980-02-28
Place of collecting place collected	Nigeria
Culture ethnic attribution
Disclaimer license	collection RMCA Tervuren; photo J.-M. Vandyck, RMCA Tervuren ©

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