GenstandsNr
G.1528
English designations
Commemorative Queen Mother Head
Categories
Altar & Shrine Objects
Heads
Location
Prince's Mansion, Ny Vestergade 10, 1471 København K, Denmark
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Iconographies

5 annotations
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
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
Ukpẹ ọkhọkhọ
Curved conical hairstyle worn by Iy'Ọba

The Ukpẹ ọkhọkhọ is a distinctive hairstyle and coral-beaded headdress worn by the Iy’Ọba. The headdress includes a projection called the ‘ede Iy’Ọba’, which indicates that “her spiritual potentialities are closer in quality to those of her ruling son than they are to the powers of the nobles” (Aigbe Eson and Ihama Iguneronmwon in Blackmun 1991, p. 60). The Iy’Ọba’s hairstyle and headdress are meant to resemble ukpe-okhue, or the curved parrot’s beak (Kaplan 1993).

Barbara Blackmun (1991, p. 60) argued that “Benin art is multivocal, and any depiction of the Iye Ọba [sic] is a reference to Idia. Every woman who holds the office of lye Ọba plays the part of Idia, the ideal model of an Ọba’s mother.” Wearing the Ukpẹ ọkhọkhọ is one of the ways the Iy’Ọba plays the role of Idia.

1 annotation
Ukpẹ ọkhọkhọ

Provenance

4 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 William Downing Webster, later in Bicester.
Purchase
1899
The object was purchased by the Nationalmuseet, National Museum of Denmark from William Downing Webster from Bicester to Copenhagen.

Related archival documents

2 documents
See all
Date
Date

Institution data

Nationalmuseet, National Museum of Denmark
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last updated: 2021-02-09
Language: danish
Institution fieldValue
Accession (Køb)/Gammelt nummer
object id
6580
GenstandsNr
object id
G.1528
ArbejdsBetegnelse
designation
figur
Fremstilling (Primær fremstilling)/ArtsKode
description
ArtsKode: 632 Tre-dimensionelle kunstgenstande
Accession (Køb)/Materiale
material
metaller
Accession (Køb)/measurements/Bredde
dimensions
22.70000076 cm
Accession (Køb)/measurements/Dybde
dimensions
Accession (Køb)/measurements/Højde
dimensions
55.5 cm
Accession (Køb)/Oprindelige felt ID.KARAKTERISTIK
object type
alterhoved af metal med fremstilling af koralperlesmykker; Websters katalog nr. 18, 1899, fig. 62
Accession (Køb)/MaterialeFarve
colour
gulbrun
Accession (Køb)/Motiv
iconography
menneskehoved
Ordning (Opret genstande)/år_Slut
date made
19-03-1988
Ordning (Opret genstande)/år_Start
date made
19-03-1988
Fremstilling (Primær fremstilling)/StamSted1
production place
Andet geografisk navn: Benin City
Fund/Indsamling (Indsamling)/StamSted12
production place
Andet geografisk navn: Benin City
Accession (Køb)/Sælger
provenance
W.D. Webster
Fund/Indsamling (Indsamling)/år_Slut2
date collected
31-12-1899
Accession (Køb)/år_Slut
accession date
31-12-1899
Accession (Køb)/år_Start
accession date
01-01-1899
Notes
notes
Translation (from Danish) of The National Museum of Denmark’s archival record on the objects and their context from 1899. File no. 194/99 Africa. Please be aware, that this historical record contains racialized terminology, that is not endorsed by The National Museum of Denmark. Objects of Bronze, from Benin in West Africa. Under the British Conquest of the Capitol in the Kingdom of Benin in 1897, a substantial Number of Bronze objects was taken as Booty, among which were these exhibited objects. They consist of a natural size Representation of a Head, a Statuette of a and two Reliefs, One with the Representation of a Warrior, the Other with the Representation of three sacrificing (?) es. All of the Benin Bronzes are cast by the Cire perdue technique, also known from the Nordic Bronze Age, and by which a new Model is formed for each Piece, that shall be cast. The Objects can with Certainty be determined to be between 200 and 300 Years old, as there on some of them are found Representations of Europeans, whose Weapons and Dress refers to the 16th and 17th Century. What the big Head was used for, is unknown. It shows a young, yet beardless Mans features; on the Forehead the conspicuous Scars from the Incisions in the Flesh, which by numerous West African People substitutes Tattoos, are seen. The Head Ornament is decorated with a Net of Bead Strings, the Neck and the lower Part of the Face is totally hidden by close Strings of Beads. The Statuette was probably used as an Ornament on a Wall. Sword of the same strange Form, as that which is represented by the Warrior, is still to be found in West Africa and is used e.g. to draw the string back on the very tight Bow. About the Reliefs is known, that they were meant to be put as an ornament on the Wooden Columns, that was taken from the Palace of the Benin King.
photos/FotoNr
images
4008939
photos/FotoType
images
Individ
photos/OpretDato
images
11/9/88
photos/OpretPers
images
ES-PM
Fremstilling (Primær fremstilling)/OCMKode
OCMKode: 769 Cult of the Dead
Fremstilling (Primær fremstilling)/StedOWCKode; StedOWCNavn
FF21; Edo
Fremstilling (Primær fremstilling)/StedOWCKode; StedOWCNavn2
AFVENA; Nigeria
Fund/Indsamling (Indsamling)/StedOWCKode; StedOWCNavn3
AFVENA; Nigeria
Fund/Indsamling (Indsamling)/StedOWCKode; StedOWCNavn4
FF21; Edo
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