Iconographies

1 annotations

Odigba

Coral beaded collar

See Odigba page

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

Provenance

4 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 1898

The object is known to have come into contact with William Downing Webster, later in Bicester.

Purchase

1898

The object was purchased by the National Museums Scotland from William Downing Webster from Bicester to Edinburgh.

Institution data

National Museums Scotland

The data was transferred directly by the institution.

Last updated: 2021-05-26

Language: english

Institution field	Value
alternative_number object id
object_number object id	A.1898.276
object_name designation object type	Figure
description description	Commemorative head of an Oba (King), of cast brass/bronze, hollow with open crown, with coral bead headdress and necklet West Africa, Nigeria, Edo State, Benin, 16th century
material material	Brass \|\| Bronze
dimensions dimensions	8.50" H
production.period date made	16th century
technique production technique	Lost wax cast
production.place production place	Benin, Edo State, Nigeria, Western Africa
acquisition.source prior source	Webster, William Downing, 1863 - 1913
association.subject event	British Punitive Expedition to Benin City, 1897
acquisition.date accession date	1898
acquisition.method accession method	PURCHASE
notes notes	WEST AFRICA. SOUTHERN NIGERIA. BENIN. BRONZES. HEAD OF A YOUNG redacted . Bronze, life-size, circular hole in the top, cap and necklace of beadwork. Obtained at capture of Benin City, Midwestern State, West Africa, February 1897. Curator note, June 2006: Male head. Wider World Gallery Label Text, 2001: Memorial Head. Nigeria. Benin. Sixteenth Century. Cast brass head wearing coral beads. The hole in the top is designed for the insertion of a carved elephant's tusk. Brass heads and tusks stood on the ancestral altars of the oba, or king, within the palace courtyard at Benin. The roll collar may indicate that this is a queen.
exhibition exhibition history	Traditional Art from the Colonies, 28/05/1951 - 30/09/1951, British Colonial Office, Imperial Institute, London, Art Gallery
references bibliography
image_ref_no images
alternative_number.type
association.person
association.person.association
association.person.note
school_style	Benin

National Museums Scotland

The data was transferred directly by the institution.

Last updated: 2023-06-19

Language: english

Institution field	Value
object_number object id	A.1898.276
object_name object type	Figure
description description	Commemorative head of an Oba (King), of cast brass/bronze, hollow with open crown, with coral bead headdress and necklet West Africa, Nigeria, Edo State, Benin, 16th century
material material	Brass \|\| Bronze
dimensions dimensions	8.50" H
production.period date made	16th century
technique production technique	Lost wax cast
production.place production place	Benin, Edo State, Nigeria, Western Africa
acquisition.source	Webster, William Downing, 1863 - 1913
association.subject event	British Punitive Expedition to Benin City, 1897
acquisition.date accession date	1898
acquisition.method accession method	PURCHASE
notes notes	WEST AFRICA. SOUTHERN NIGERIA. BENIN. BRONZES. HEAD OF A YOUNG redacted . Bronze, life-size, circular hole in the top, cap and necklace of beadwork. Obtained at capture of Benin City, Midwestern State, West Africa, February 1897. Curator note, June 2006: Male head. Wider World Gallery Label Text, 2001: Memorial Head. Nigeria. Benin. Sixteenth Century. Cast brass head wearing coral beads. The hole in the top is designed for the insertion of a carved elephant's tusk. Brass heads and tusks stood on the ancestral altars of the oba, or king, within the palace courtyard at Benin. The roll collar may indicate that this is a queen.
exhibition exhibition history	Traditional Art from the Colonies, 28/05/1951 - 30/09/1951, British Colonial Office, Imperial Institute, London, Art Gallery

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