Provenance

3 events

Production

unknown to sometime in 1904

The object was produced by Unknown member(s) of the Igbesamwan guild in Benin City.

Unknown

sometime in 1904

The object is known to have come into contact with Arthur Harold Unwin, in Benin City.

Purchase

November 6, 1920

The object was purchased by the British Museum from Arthur Harold Unwin with its destination in London.

Institution data

British Museum

The data was transferred directly by the institution.

Last updated: 2025-06-10

Language: english

Institution field	Value
Registration number object id	Af1920,1106.7.a-b
Additional IDs object id	1 (Unwin list number)
PRN object id	EAF15910
Object Type designation	cross-bow
Description description	Cross-bow made of wood in two pieces; stock (a) and bow (b). Cord missing.
Ethnic name (made by) ethnic attribution	Edo
Date	1875-1904 (circa)
Production place production place	Made in: Edo State
Findspot place collected	Found/Acquired: Edo State
Materials material	wood
Technique production technique	carved
Dimensions dimensions	Height: 9.50 cm (a+b)~Width: 69.50 cm (a+b)~Depth: 75.50 cm (a+b)~Height: 9.50 cm (a)~Width: 4.90 cm (a)~Depth: 75.50 cm (a)~Height: 6.00 cm (b)~Width: 69.80 cm (b)~Depth: 3.00 cm (b: min)~Depth: 16.60 cm (b: max)
Curator’s comments provenance	Unwin’s original list reads: '1. One Cross Bow from Northern Benin.' ; See Collection File Af1920,1106.1-35.
Exhibition history exhibition history	Exhibited: 1970-1973, London, Museum of Mankind, Divine Kingship in Africa
Condition condition	Good.
Acquisition name (acquisition) provenance	Arthur Harold Unwin
Acquisition name (excavator) provenance	Field Collection by: Arthur Harold Unwin
Acquisition date accession date	1920.0

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