Provenance

3 events

Production

unknown to 1913

The object was produced in Edo State.

Unknown

1909 to 1913

The object is known to have come into contact with Northcote Whitridge Thomas, in Edo State.

Purchase

1911 to 1914

The object was purchased by the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge from Northcote Whitridge Thomas through Anthony Ashley Bevan with its destination in Cambridge.

Institution data

Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge

The data was transferred directly by the institution.

Last updated: 2022-07-18

Language: english

Institution field	Value
idno object id	Z 12009
local edo designation	ebo
Physical description/0 description	Bag of straw, front ornamented (ebo) or ? woman's bag (ebo) for yams, etc. Made of a leaf from a riverside tree. The light coloured strands are sand dried; the dark coloured are fire dried.
Physical description/1 description	With leaf fibre tassels along opening. Bag has been folded and squashed and become set in the folds. [R.Hand]
Physical description/2 description	Woman's bag (ebo) for yams, etc. Plait weave of leaves from a riverside tree. The light coloured strands are sand dried; the dark coloured are fire dried. With leaf fibre tassels along opening.
Physical description/3 description
Physical description/4 description
d_Description Name description	Woman's bag (ebo) for yams, etc. Plait weave of leaves from a riverside tree. The light coloured strands are sand dried; the dark coloured are fire dried. With leaf fibre tassels along opening.
height dimensions
length dimensions	630 mm
width dimensions
weight weight
Inscription inscriptions
Labels - Markings/0 inscriptions	The number '2071' has been written on the left side of the Thomas Collection label.
Labels - Markings/1 inscriptions	Thomas Collection label accompanies object. Another old label adds ".....for carrying yams, plantains etc......Used for going to market." and in a different handwriting, "Pandanus leaves" [transcrived by Rachel Hand, 02/05/2001]
Labels - Markings/2 inscriptions
Labels - Markings/3 inscriptions
Labels - Markings/4 inscriptions
Labels - Markings/5 inscriptions
period date made
maker producer
d_Place production place	Africa; West Africa; Nigeria; Edo State; Benin City
Other owners prior source
source prior source	Thomas, Northcote Whitridge [collector]; Bevan, Anthony Ashley (Professor) [monetary donor]
Collection or Excavation Year date collected
culture group ethnic attribution	Edo
source date accession date
Amendments - updates/0 notes	1st Thomas Catalogue notes numbers 1-249 as "Bini (Benin City)", but 1-7 has had "Bini" crossed out in the Thomas Catalogue. [R.Hand]
Amendments - updates/1 notes	Bag has been folded and squashed and become set in the folds.
Amendments - updates/2 notes
Amendments - updates/3 notes
Amendments - updates/4 notes
Exhibition/0 exhibition history
Exhibition/1 exhibition history
Reference Numbers bibliography	Z 12009 Other: 2 [Collector's number]; 2071
References/0 bibliography
References/0 2 bibliography
References/1 bibliography
Related Documents/0 bibliography	See E 1910.118 and E 1913.3 records for further details about the Thomas Collection from Nigeria.
Related Documents/1 bibliography
Related Documents/2 bibliography
Related Documents/3 bibliography
Related Documents/4 bibliography
Related Documents/5 bibliography
Related Documents/6 bibliography
Acquisition Details/0
Acquisition Details/1
Acquisition Details/2
Analysis/0
Analysis/1
Archaeology
Auction - Sale/0
Auction - Sale/1
CMS Context/0
CMS Description
Catalogue
Display/0
Display/1
Display/2
Display/3
Field_collection/0
Field_collection/1
Found_together - assemblage
Freezing
Online Only
Other/0
Other/1
Production - use
Remedial/0
Remedial/1
Surface Clean
unknown

Sensitive Content

Digital Benin collates digital material from institutions, and some of this material is inherently colonial and contains words, terms and phrases that are inaccurate, derogatory and harmful towards African and African diasporic communities. Catalogue transcriptions, book titles, exhibition titles and museum titles may contain harmful terms. We recognise the potential for the material to cause physical and mental distress as well as evoke strong emotions. Owing to the scale of the collection’s data, a process to implement sensitive-content warnings in the displayed data is still incomplete. The material within the catalogue does not represent Digital Benin’s views. Digital Benin maintains a strong anti-colonial, anti-racist position and affirms its support for centring the humanity of historically marginalised and disenfranchised communities. Read more about the background of this statement here