
| Institution field | Value |
|---|---|
idno object id | 1925.64 |
local edo designation | uhunmwun elao |
Physical description/0 description | Catalogue card notes: "Bronze cast of human head, redacted features, 3 tribal marks over each eye, hatching above, circles below same. Pupils of eyes inlaid with iron. Reticulated headdress and 4 rosettes of coral or agate. Coral choker -badge of rank. Band of coral on each side of ear and 4 strands of plaited hair. Base of head decorated with ox heads and other animals and Neolithic celt s in front and behind." |
Physical description/1 description | Benin Head |
Physical description/2 description | |
Physical description/3 description | |
Physical description/4 description | |
d_Description Name description | Lost-wax cast commemorative head of an Oba, used to support a tusk on an ancestral altar. Presumed collected on the British Expedition to Benin City, 1897. |
height dimensions | 336 mm |
length dimensions | 271 mm |
width dimensions | 251 mm |
weight weight | 14.4 kg |
Inscription inscriptions | |
Labels - Markings/0 inscriptions | |
Labels - Markings/1 inscriptions | |
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Labels - Markings/4 inscriptions | |
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period date made | 18th century; 19th century |
maker producer | Igun Eronmwon (royal guild of brass casters) |
d_Place production place | Africa; West Africa; Nigeria; [?Kingdom of Benin]; Edo State; ?Benin City; ?Oba’s Palace |
Other owners prior source | Donated by Dr Louis Cobbet (1863-1947), Cambridge University Lecturer in Bacteriology from 1907 to 1929. There is no documentation on Cobbet’s acquisition but it is typical of the ‘bronzes’ looted as part of the Benin Expedition , 1897. This has therefore been added to the source field with queries to indicate the lack of available data for a definite provenance. |
source prior source | Cobbett, Louis (Dr) [donor]; ?Benin Expedition [collector] |
Collection or Excavation Year date collected | 1897 |
culture group ethnic attribution | Edo |
source date accession date | 1925 |
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Exhibition/0 exhibition history | Exhibition Body Art exhibition, January-July 2006. Installation week: 23rd-27th January. Last day of exhibition: 2nd July; de-installation: 3rd July. |
Exhibition/1 exhibition history | |
Reference Numbers bibliography | 1925.64 |
References/0 bibliography | Catalogue card notes: cf. Pitt Rivers, A.H.L (1900) Antique Works of Art from Benin, Pl. XVI, p.32 '(N.B.) This cast has a base'. |
References/0 2 bibliography | McKeating, Alison, D. W. Phillipson and Rachel Maclean. Metal in Africa. Cambridge: Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology Cambridge University African Studies Centre, 1996. Pg 2 and 27 |
References/1 bibliography | |
Related Documents/0 bibliography | Catalogue card reads, in black ink: 25.64 | W. Africa / Benin / Bronze cast of human head. redacted features, 3 tribal marks over each eye, hatching above, circles below same. Pupils of eyes inlaid with iron. Reticulated head-dress & 4 rosettes of coral or agate. Coral choker - badge of rank. Band of coral on each side of ear & 4 strands of plaited hair. Base of head decorated with ox heads & other animals & Neolithic celts in front and behind. / D.D. Dr L. Cobbett / cf. Pitt Rivers "Antique Works of Art from Benin" PL XVI. p32. (NB) this cast has a base)." Red circular sticker in bottom right corner of card. |
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Acquisition Details/0 | |
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Analysis/0 | In January 2017, Prof. Marcos Martinon-Torres and Agnese Benzonelli, UCL Institute of Archaeology, tested this idno using a portable XRF as part of a programme of base metal analysis of Benin material. This object was tested twice and the results are as follows: 1) Cu: 70.53%; Zn: 26.80%; Sn: 0.03%; Pb: 2.27%. 2) Cu: 70.84%; Zn: 26.10%; Sn: 0.02%; Pb: 2.60%. It was observed this head was classed as Willett 5 and 1700-1850 (Dark 4 chrono range). |
Analysis/1 | |
Archaeology | |
Auction - Sale/0 | Possibly purchased by Cobbet at the close of the Empire Exhibition where it may have been exhibited as part of the Nigerian Pavilion, which also included Nigerian artists as living displays and a replica altar which featured painted wood representations of the original bronze and ivory artworks |
Auction - Sale/1 | |
CMS Context/0 | |
CMS Description | |
Catalogue | |
Display/0 | Register notes: exhibited at the 'Wembley Exhib: 1924'. This is the British Empire Exhibition, Wembley Park, London, 23 April 1924 to 31 October 1925. |
Display/1 | Exhibited in the Benin case, Andrews Gallery, 20 March 2017- present. |
Display/2 | Exhibited: On loan to Stevenage Museum, UK, for 'Body Art: The Human Canvas,' 4 February to 2 July 2006. |
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Field_collection/0 | |
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Found_together - assemblage | |
Freezing | |
Online Only | |
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Surface Clean | CON.2016.3608 | Surface Clean |
unknown |
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