ObjectID
291942
Edo designations
English designations
Trophy Head
Categories
Altar & Shrine Objects
Heads
Location
37 Quai Branly, 75007 Paris, France
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Iconographies

4 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
Ikan Aro
Incised forehead markings

Ikan Aro are two linear markings in the centre of the forehead, located in between the eyes. These are usually inset with iron on depictions otherwise made of brass, bronze, ivory or wood.The use of iron was significant due the association of this metal with Ogun, who is god of iron and metal. These markings appear on both men and women, however are a common feature of representations of Iy'Oba Idia. Flora Kaplan (1993, 59) argued these are not tattoos, unlike the Ikharo. According to Nevadomsky (1986, 42), these incisions "signify determination, firmness, resolve, or even maturity". Kaplan (1993, 59) has also made a link between these markings and oral history told to her by Oba Erediauwa describing the events leading up to Idia (before she was Iy’Ọba) becoming the wife of Ọba Ozolua, whereby her parents tried to disfigure her to “repel” the Ọba. According to this history, the Ọba “sensing something was wrong”, called his doctors to intervene and treat her quickly, and as so she still became his wife.

1 annotation
Ikan Aro
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
hairstyles
Eto
hairstyles

Hairstyles are used to determine a person's status in the society, as chiefs, common folks, chief's wives and the wives of the Ọba all wear different hairstyles. We have Okuku, Ikpe~okhokho, Idu~akpata

1 annotation
Eto

Provenance

7 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
1920s to 1930s
The object is known to have come into contact with Frederick Knize.
Auction
June 10, 1963
The object was auctioned to Peter Schnell through Sotheby's in London.
Auction
July 4, 1989
The object was auctioned to Jean Paul Barbier-Mueller through Christie's in London.
Purchase
1997
The object was purchased by Paris Musée national des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie (MNAAO) from Musée Barbier-Mueller and Jean Paul Barbier-Mueller from Barbier-Mueller Museum to Paris.
Rehoused
2003 to 2006
The object was rehoused by Paris Musée national des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie (MNAAO) in Paris.

Related archival documents

3 documents
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Date
Date
Date

Institution data

musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last updated: 2022-09-27
Language: french
Institution fieldValue
Numéro d'objet
object id
73.1997.14.1
ObjectID
object id
291942
Tri titres
designation
Tête anthropomorphe
Description
description
Tête d'ennemi ou de reine. Cette tête modelée aux traits du visage naturalistes (les yeux, les oreilles, le nez, la bouche), porte une coiffure constituée de fines tresses étagées; elle est dotée du cou jusqu'au menton d'un collier qui représente des perles de corail ; elle affiche quatre scarifications chéloïdes à l'emplacement des sourcils et deux autres scarification verticales sur le front.
Matériaux et techniques
material
production technique
Alliage cuivreux Fonte à cire perdue
Dimensions
dimensions
21 x 15,5 x 13,5 cm
Date
date made
fin 15e - début 16e siècle
Toponyme
production place
Afrique > Afrique occidentale > Nigéria
Unité patrimoniale
production place
Afrique
Provenance historique
provenance
Autres numéros : 1011.121 : Barbier-Mueller - Collection, A 97-14-1 : MNAAO - Inventaire. Ancienne collection R. Mosse; ancienne collection F. Wolffe-Knize; ancienne collection P. Schnell.
Culture
ethnic attribution
Royaume de Bénin
Ethnonyme
ethnic attribution
Edo
Date d'entrée dans les collections nationales
accession date
1997-10-17 00:00:00
Mode d'entrée
accession method
Achat
Statut de l'objet
display status
Inscription à l'inventaire
Bibliographie
bibliography
Références publiées
bibliography
- Kerchache J. (sous la direction de) : Sculptures Afrique, Asie, Océanie, Amériques, 2000, Paris, RMN, Musée du quai Branly, pp 128-130. -Sculptures Afrique, Asie, Océanie, Amériques : l'album de l'exposition, 2000, p 23. -
Crédits photographiques
license
musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, photo Claude Germain
Donateur
Usage
P. Ben Amos a suggéré que les têtes confectionnées à la première période (fin XIVe début XVIe ) représentent non pas des ancêtres mais des trophés de guerre. Cette tête serait donc le portrait d'un enemi défait identifiable grâce aux scarifications qu'il porte sur le front. On retrouve cependant ces même scarifications sur les portraits de mère du roi ( Iyoba).
Sensitive Content

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