ID Number
1955.13
Edo designations
English designations
Male Figure
Categories
Figures
Location
106 Central St, Wellesley, MA 02481, United States
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Iconographies

2 annotations
Ivie okpagbaru/Ivie Ewuare
Royal/Ewuare Bead

This oval-shaped bead with faceted sides is known as the Ivie okpagbaru or Ivie Ewuare (the ‘royal bead’ or ‘Ewuare bead’). The association of Ọba Ewuare with this bead is based on a story in which Ewuare took beads from the deity Olokun, sanctifying his royal position and, in turn, receiving the title ‘Lord of the Land’, in contrast to Olokun’s title ‘Lord of the Sea’ (Omomo of Enisen in Blackmun 1990, p. 65). The Ivie okpagbaru/Ivie Ewuare is a distinctive motif that can be used to identify representations of the Ọba.

Due to the association of beads with Olokun, it is unsurprising that this bead has come to symbolise wealth when used to decorate Emwin Arhe (royal treasures) (Blackmun 1984, p. 59). Paula Ben-Amos (1999, p. 64) associated the bead with a different narrative and the name ‘One Bead Does Not Go around the Neck’. Ben-Amos suggests that the bead is in fact the one that was fought over by Ọba Ẹsigie and his brother Aruanran when they struggled for the right to the throne in the early 16th century.

1 annotation
Ivie okpagbaru/Ivie Ewuare
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

3 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.
Gift
1955
The object was given as a gift to the Davis Museum at Wellesley College with its destination in Wellesley.

Related archival documents

9 documents
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Institution data

Davis Museum at Wellesley College
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last updated: 2022-01-18
Language: english
Institution fieldValue
ID Number
object id
1955.13
Title
designation
Figure of an Oba (King)
Materials
material
Bronze (copper alloy)
Measurements
dimensions
overall: 10 3/8 in. (26.4 cm)
Category
object type
SCULPTURE
Object Name
object type
Figurine
Date Made
date made
mid- to late-19th century
Maker
producer
Igun Eronmwon Brass Casters Guild
Place Made
production place
Nigeria
Credit Line
prior source
Anonymous gift
Culture
ethnic attribution
Edo
Legal Status
legal status
PERMANENT COLLECTION
Sensitive Content

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