OBJEKTE_ID
1708381
Edo designations
English designations
Relief Plaque
Categories
Palace Architecture & Ornamentation
Location
Johannispl. 5-11, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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Iconographies

10 annotations
Uhanbọ & Ifẹnmwẹ
Bow & Arrow

Uhanbọ (bows) and Ifẹnmwẹ (arrows) were produced by members of the Iwifenmwen (guild of archers and manufacturers of poisoned arrows). Arrows, particularly poisoned arrows, were used in warfare. When depicted on Emwin Arhe (royal treasures), Uhanbọ and Ifẹnmwẹ are believed to represent Ake, the deity of archery. According to Aisien (in Plankensteiner 2007, cat. no. 218, p. 438), Ake was an expert marksman who lived during the reign of Ọba Ẹwuare (c. 1440–1473 AD) and is credited with inventing the poisoned arrow used in hunting and warfare.

3 annotations
Uhanbọ & Ifẹnmwẹ
Uhanbọ & Ifẹnmwẹ
Uhanbọ & Ifẹnmwẹ
Ẹrhu
Headwear

Many different kinds of Ẹrhu (headwear) are worn by the various figures depicted in the imagery of Benin royal artefacts. Through comparisons with ceremonial regalia still worn by chiefs and members of the royal court, including the Ọba himself, some Ẹrhu have been used to identify the different figures depicted. For example, the conical hat worn by high-ranking town chiefs as part of the pangolin regalia, still worn at ceremonies, is also visible on figures on some Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (bronze relief plaques) ( ). Other examples include the distinctive bell-shaped helmet associated with the Iyasẹ ( ). Figures who wear a shallow-brimmed hat and a cross have been identified as Ewua or Ohensa priests ( ).

Different kinds of helmets and headwear were worn by warriors, reflecting the many different ranks and roles in the army at any given time, as well as developing trends that were in turn represented on Emwin Arhe created at different points in time. Warrior figures wearing helmets covered in cowrie shells were carved on the Aken'ni Elao (carved tusks) (Blackmun 1984, p. 330), yet on the brass Ama, warriors are sometimes depicted wearing helmets made from crocodile hide or horsehair with a front plate (Osadolor in Plankensteiner 2007, cat. no. 238, p. 457). Helmets made from horsehair with a front plate are one of the more common types represented on the Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn, and the demand for black horse tails was noted by both Portuguese and British traders during the late 17th and 18th centuries (Osadolor in Plankensteiner 2007, cat. no. 238, p. 457). Other warriors depicted on Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn wear helmets with a rounded top, chinstrap, and sometimes also a feather tucked into the left side. These types of headwear are known as Ẹrhu Iyokuo.

Attire worn for battle also differed from that worn for ceremonial occasions, such as the pointed headwear worn in combination with an ornate leopard-head tunic by war chiefs. Depictions of figures wearing this attire on brass Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (bronze relief plaques) have been interpreted as representing the war chiefs’ participation in the war-ritual Isiokuo festival (Osadolor in Plankensteiner 2007, cat. no. 238, p. 457).

Another distinctive form of headwear is that worn by figures identified as leopard hunters on the brass Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (relief plaques). These large helmets cover almost all of the leopard hunters’ faces except for their noses, eyes, and upper lips, and are made of an unusual material that remains unidentifiable (Plankensteiner 2007, cat. nos. 68–69, p. 322).

European figures are also portrayed with distinctive hats, such as Portuguese three-cornered hats. These depictions reflect the artists’ keen observation and highlight the impact of European trade and military assistance (Ezra 1992).

3 annotations
Ẹrhu
Ẹrhu
Ẹrhu
Water fern
Ebe Amẹ
Water Fern

Ebe Amẹ refers to a wide variety of plants, particularly the leaves of the water fern or river leaf, found in riverine areas of southern Nigeria ( ). Artists from the Igun-Ẹrọnmwọn used these as a decorative motif in the background of most Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (bronze relief plaques). The petals of the Ebe Amẹ, like the points of the ἀghàdàgháda (crossroads), represent the four cardinal directions: north, east, south, and west. The number four plays a foundational role in the Edo calendar, which is structured around four market days ( ).

1 annotation
Ebe Amẹ
TBC_Iviekpen-member
Leopard Hunter

Members of the Iviekpen, the guild of leopard hunters, are part of the Iwebo palace society. Members of this guild were responsible for the Ọba’s wardrobe and were tasked with hunting and capturing leopards for the Ọba.

Representations of leopard hunters occur most frequently on Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (bronze relief plaques) dating from the 16th to the mid-17th centuries. They are depicted wearing distinctive helmets made from an unidentified material and carrying bows and arrows. In some representations, leopard hunters carry small leopards, while in others they are accompanied by motifs of bound or captured leopards ( ). On Aken'ni Elao (carved tusks), leopard hunters are depicted only once. argued that this representation is a direct translation of the imagery found on the Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn.

3 annotations
TBC_Iviekpen-member
TBC_Iviekpen-member
TBC_Iviekpen-member

Provenance

5 events
Production
1504 (approximate) to 1550 (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 1899
The object is known to have come into contact with William Downing Webster, later in Bicester.
Purchase
1899
The object was purchased by Arthur Baessler from William Downing Webster from Bicester to Berlin.
Donation
1899
The object was donated by Arthur Baessler to the Staatliche Ethnographische Sammlungen Sachsen und Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden from Berlin to Dresden.

Related archival documents

1 documents
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Date

Institution data

Staatliche Ethnographische Sammlungen Sachsen und Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last updated: 2021-09-28
Language: german
Institution fieldValue
INV_NR
object id
16140
OBJEKTE_ID
object id
1708381
KURZTITEL
designation
Reliefplatte mit 3 Mitgliedern der Leopardenjägergilde
Object-name-and-materials
designation
material
Reliefplatte mit drei Mitgliedern der Leopardenjäger-Gilde Gelbguss
TITEL
designation
Reliefplatte mit drei Mitgliedern der Leopardenjäger-Gilde;Bronzeplatte mit 3 Figuren
INTERNETKOMMENTAR
description
notes
Mitglieder der höfischen Gilde der Jäger in voller Jagdausrüstung. (MVD, S. D.)
KATALOGTEXT
description
MATERIAL
material
Metall;Bronze
MASSEBEMERKUNG
dimensions
47,0 x 42,0 x 13,0 cm; 20,8 kg|47,5 x 40 cm (lt. Karteikarte)
MASSETABANGABE
dimensions
Gesamt
MASSETABBEMERKUNG
dimensions
MASSETABBREITE
dimensions
42
MASSETABDURCHMESSER
dimensions
MASSETABEINHEITLAENGE
dimensions
cm
MASSETABEINHEITLAENGE_IDS
dimensions
1
MASSETABHOEHE
dimensions
47
MASSETABTIEFE
dimensions
13
Dimensions_weight
weight
H: 47,5 cm W: 40 cm
MASSETABEINHEITGEWICHT
weight
kg
MASSETABEINHEITGEWICHT_ID
weight
7
MASSETABGEWICHT
weight
20,8
OBJEKTBEZ
object type
Plastik
KONVOLUT
provenance
object count
Sammlung Arthur Baessler; SES Benin-Objekte; William D. Webster, London; SES Dossier Benin-Objekte, Überlieferung an die Kontaktstelle für Sammlungsgut aus kolonialen Kontexten
ORT_DATUM_BIS
date made
1897;1899
ORT_DATUM_KONKRET
date made
';'
ORT_DATUM_VON
date made
;
MATTECHBEMERKUNG
production technique
Gelbguss
TECHNIK
production technique
gegossen
ORTE
production place
Federal Republic of Nigeria;Benin City
ORTZEITBEMERKUNG
production place
Königreich Benin, vor 1897
Ort_Zeit-Bemerkung
production place
Königreich Benin, vor 1897
REGIONEN
production place
Benin
Collector/Previous-owner
prior source
Arthur Baessler, Berlin, purchased from William D. Webster, London, in 1899
ERWERBUNG
prior source
Schenkung 1899 von Arthur Baessler, Berlin
PERSON
prior source
unbekannt;Baessler, Arthur;Webster, William Downing
Acquisition-Details
provenance
Donated by Arthur Baessler, Berlin
EIGENTUEMER
provenance
SES/Freistaat Sachsen
PROVENIENZ
provenance
William D. Webster, London (bis 1899); Arthur Baessler, Berlin (erworben 1899 von William D. Webster, bis 1899)
PROVENIENZSTATUS
provenance
SKD-Eigentum
EREIGNISSE
event
Herstellung;Provenienz;Provenienz
ETHNIEN
ethnic attribution
Institution
department and institution
Staatliche Ethnographische Sammlungen Sachsen - Museum für Völkerkunde Dresden
MUSEUM
department and institution
MVD
Institutional-acquisition-date
accession date
1899
Comments
notes
Arthur Baessler, 1857-1907, German Ethnologist and Athropologist; William Downing Webster, 1868-1913, English Dealer and Collector of Ethnographica
PRAESENZ
display status
nicht ausgestellt
BIBLIOGRAPHIE
bibliography
Silvia Dolz: Schätze aus Afrika: Benin. Die Schenkung Baessler [Ausst.Kat.]. Dresden, 2006
ERWAEHNTIN
bibliography
MVD, 2006, S. 23 u. Abb. 41
LITERATUR
bibliography
Gunsch, K.W.: The Benin Plaques: A Singular Monument. in: Art. N° 88 Summer 2018. S. 98-113|
LIT_LITERATUR
bibliography
Deimel 2006 [Schätze aus Afrika, ...]
BILDUNTERSCHRIFT
images
Übernahme Altdaten|Region original: Großregion => Westafrika; Land => Nigeria; Gebiet => Benin|Ethnie original: kein Eintrag|Region bei Datenübergabe: Afrika>Westafrika>Nigeria>Benin
ALTINVENTARE
AUTHENTIZITAETSZUSATZ
;;
AUTHZUSAETZE_IDS
;;
Additional-IDs
8818 (original number)
Dokumentname
16140_1
EREIGNISSE_IDS
12;15;15
ETHNIEN_IDS
ETH_AUTHZUSAETZE
ETH_AUTHZUSAETZE_IDS
ETH_EREIGNISSE
ETH_EREIGNIS_IDS
FERTIG
1
FLAG
EXP
FOTOFELD
Foto 6945, Neg. Tasche Nr. 323/29,30
FUNKTION
Hersteller;Schenker;Händler
GEAENDERT_AM
14.06.2021
GLEICHRANGIG
GND_ID_OBEZ
22955
GND_ID_SCHLAGWORT
116012;117656;58289;118242;108997;22976;24148;26572
GRUNDDATEN
1
INTERNETFREIGABE
1
INVENTURDATUM
INVNR_MERKMALE_IDS
581
KONVOLUTE_IDS
582;959;1409;1191
KOORDINATEN
(10 8);(6,33504 5,62749)
LEIHVERKEHR
LIT_ABBILDUNG
41
LIT_BAND_SEITE
Seite 44
LIT_BEMERKUNG
farbig
LIT_LITERATUR_IDS
821
LIT_NUMMERE
LIT_STA_INETFREIGABE
1
MAND_ID
1
MATERIALIEN_IDS
1233;1116
MERKMAL
Originalnummer
MUSEEN_ID
35
ORTE_IDS
2328926;2347283
ORT_AUTHZUSAETZE
;
ORT_AUTHZUSAETZE_IDS
;
ORT_BEZUG
;
ORT_EREIGNISSE
Herstellung;Erwerbung
ORT_EREIGNISSE_IDS
12;9
PND_BEZUG
;;
PND_FUNKTIONEN_IDS
-2;133;645
PND_INETFREIGABE
1;0;1
PND_PERSONEN_IDS
12797488;12106249;12821279
PRAESENZEN_WERT_ID
-67
PROVSTATUS_WERT_ID
-43
REGIONEN_IDS
612
REG_EREIGNISSE
Erwerbung
REG_EREIGNIS_IDS
9
SAMMLUNG
Afrika
SAMMLUNGEN_ID
535
SCHLAGWORT
Hofstaat;Jäger;Kopfbedeckung;Krieger;Pfeil;Platte;Relief;Waffe
TECHNIKEN_IDS
75
UNTERGEORDNET
VORLAGEN
WEITERE_NUMMERN
8818
WISSENSCHAFT
1
XRAY
###
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