Reg No.
III 1039
English designations
Staff of Office
Categories
Ceremonial Objects
Staffs
Location
Münsterpl. 20, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
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Staff of Office

Iconographies

3 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
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]”.

2 annotations
Ikharo
Ikharo

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 April 11, 1899
The object is known to have come into contact with William D. Cutter, later in London.
Purchase
April 11, 1899
The object was purchased by William Downing Webster from William D. Cutter from London to Bicester.
Purchase
May 31, 1899
The object was purchased by the Museum der Kulturen Basel from William Downing Webster from Bicester to Basel.

Related archival documents

4 documents
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Date
Date
Date

Institution data

Museum der Kulturen Basel
The data was transferred directly through the Swiss Benin Initiative.
Last updated: 2022-07-04
Language: english
Institution fieldValue
Reg No.
object id
III 1039
Object name and materials
designation
Scepter or mallet (?)
Material
material
brass, iron
Dimension/s
dimensions
L. 39 cm D. 2.5 cm
Provisional dating
date made
17th/18th century
Creditline
prior source
Was bought with the funds of the museum
Provenances
provenance
17th/18th century commissioned from the Royal Bronze-casting Guild (Igun Eronmwon) by the Royal Palace of Benin; by descent to Oba Ovonramwen (Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, b. about 1857 - d. about 1914; r. 1888 - 1897); 1897, looted from the Royal Palace during the British military occupation of Benin; [...]; date unknown - 1899, W. D. Cutter (possibly Eva Cutter?); 11th April 1899 to William D. Webster (dealer, London) (Reg.No.: 6905) for £0.17.0; 31st May 1899, purchased by Museum der Kulturen Basel
Institution
department and institution
MKB Museum der Kulturen Basel
Institution acquisition date
accession date
1899
Additional IDs
6905 (Webster N°)
Sensitive Content

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