Catalogue
ID
210873
Institution
Omo n'Oba n'Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ọba of Benin & National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Nigeria
Restituted
Previously owned by Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Edo designations
English designations
Crotal Bell
Categories
Musical Instruments
Staffs
Location
1 Adesogbe (Plymouth) Road, P.M.B. 1115, Benin City , Edo State
Crotal Bell
Crotal Bell

Iconographies

1 annotations
alligator
Ẹghughu
Crocodile

In the riverine area surrounding Benin City, there are two types of crocodile. The Ẹghughu, known in English as the dwarf or bush crocodile, is believed to be more docile ( ; Ọbazee 2025, p. 133). The second type is the Àgbákà, the aggressive Nile crocodile ( ; Ọbazee 2025, p. 11).

Crocodiles are one of the important animals represented in the historical Emwin Arhe, and they are known as Olokun’s guards or the “policemen” of the waters. The powerful and ferocious qualities of these animals might explain why warrior figures are often depicted wearing Uhunmwu-Ẹkuẹ (pendant masks) in the shape of crocodile heads on Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (bronze relief plaques) ( ). Olokun devotees use crocodiles as sacrificial animals in offerings during the worship of Olokun.

1 annotation
Ẹghughu

Provenance

5 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 Unknown member of the British colonial military campaign on Benin - February 1897 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 Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin from William Downing Webster from Bicester to Berlin.
Restitution
August 25, 2022
The object was restituted by the Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin to the Omo n'Oba n'Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ọba of Benin & National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Nigeria through Hermann Parzinger and Abba Isa Tijani from Berlin to Nigeria.

Related archival documents

1 documents
See all
Museum Catalogue
Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin
Die Altertümer von Benin
Date
January 1, 1919 at 12:00:00 AM

Institution data

Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last updated: 2021-06-14
Language: german
Institution fieldValue
ID
object id
210873
Sachbegriff
designation
Sachbegriff: Glockenklöppel
Titel
designation
Objektref.
description
E 534/1898, Erwerbung: I/80/1898: III C 8054-8084, VI 14555-14556, Ethnogr. (Benin; N. Guinea), Webster, 1898, William Downing Webster (1895); VIII A 10698, Positiv, SW, Wedelgriff, Bronze (?), Kurt Grunst (*04.04.1921)
Texte Online
description
Online Beschreibung, Der leise Klang dieser Stäbe war Teil von Zeremonien, um spirituelle Wesen aus dem königlichen Palast oder aus den Häusern von Würdenträgern zu bannen. Die dargestellten Symbole, Schlangen, Welse, Portugiesenköpfe, Krokodile oder Eidechsen, beziehen sich auf den Meeresgott Olokun. [Benin_Königreich]
Material / Technik
material
Material: Messing; Material: Kupfer (?); Material: Eisen; Ausgabe: Messing, Eisen, Kupfer (?)
Material / Technik // Alle
material
Messing, Eisen, Kupfer (?), Messing, Kupfer (?), Eisen
Maße
dimensions
27,50 x 4,00 x 4,00 cm; 328,00 g
Objekttyp
object type
Musikinstrument
Sachbegr. Ausgabe
object type
Klangstab
Anzahl Teile
object count
1
Datierung
date made
18. Jh.-19. Jh.
Geogr. Bezüge
production place
Nigeria ( Land ); Benin ( Königreich )
Geogr. Bezüge // Alle
production place
Benin, Nigeria
Beteiligte
prior source
William Downing Webster (1895), Veräußerer
Beteiligte // (Name, Sortierung=kleinste)
prior source
Webster, William Downing
Veräußerer
prior source
null
Erwerb. Notiz
provenance
Erwerbung von: [William Downing] Webster; Notiz: Rückführung Wiesbaden; Ausgabe: Auftrag bei der Messinggießergilde Igun Eronmwon im Königreich Benin im 18. oder 19. Jh.; Besitz vor 1897 derzeit unbekannt; vermutlich geplündert im Zusammenhang mit der britischen Eroberung von Benin, 1897; in unbekanntem Besitz zwischen Feb. 1897 und 1898; erworben vom Museum für Völkerkunde von William D. Webster, 1898.
Verw. Institution
department and institution
Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Erwerb. Datum
accession date
1898
Besitzart
accession method
Eigentum
Erwerbungsart
accession method
Ankauf
Digital Assets
images
Vorlage; Vorlage; Vorlage; III C 8082.JPG, Repro Digitalisat
Erwerb. Nr.
I/80/1898
Ident. Nr.
III C 8082
Ident. Nr. // (Sortiernr.)
0003 C 08082
Obj. Status
vorhanden
Sensitive Content

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