Reg No.
III 1033
Edo designations
English designations
Commemorative Head
Categories
Altar & Shrine Objects
Heads
Location
Münsterpl. 20, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
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Commemorative Head

Iconographies

3 annotations
Colar Bead
Odigba
Coral beaded collar

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
Odigba
Udahae
Beaded forehead band

The Udahae is a forehead band made from coral beads and worn by chiefs. Sometimes a white Igan (feather) from the Oɛɣohɔ (vulturine fish eagle) is tucked into the left side of the Udahae. According to Benin oral tradition, the Udahae was introduced by Ọba Ezoti, the first son of Ọba Ewuare I. During his coronation, Ezoti was shot in the forehead with a poisoned arrow. To stop the bleeding, a band of red beads was wrapped around his forehead while he made public appearances. Fourteen days later, he died from his wound. Since then, Benin chiefs have worn the red-beaded Udahae around their foreheads to commemorate the cap used by Ezoti to stop the bleeding (Egharevba 1968, p. 21).

1 annotation
Udahae
Ikharo
Forehead markings

Ikharo are linear keloid markings depicted on the forehead of Uhunmwu-Elao (commemorative heads) in groups of three or four above each eye. The exact meaning of Ikharo is debated; some have argued that they relate to the gender or tribal identification of the person on whom they are depicted. For example, has argued that they were worn only by men; however, their use in depictions is not consistent with this, and the Iy’Ọba are also shown wearing them. argued that they are instead a stylistic feature employed by artists that varied over time.

The naming of these markings differs between publications. For example, describe these markings as “agbaguda n'ehae”, which they write translates literally as “blades of the forehead”. However, later went on to call these “ikharo”, as used here. referred to these forehead markings as ikharo, meaning “tribal mark [of eye]”.

1 annotation
Ikharo

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 Unknown member of the British colonial military campaign on Benin - February 1897 from Benin Kingdom.
Unknown
February 22, 1897 (day approximate) to December 28, 1899
The object is known to have come into contact with William Downing Webster, later in Bicester.
Purchase
December 28, 1899
The object was purchased by the Museum der Kulturen Basel from William Downing Webster through Elisabeth Sarasin-Sauvain from Bicester to Basel.

Related archival documents

2 documents
See all
Annual Report
Museum der Kulturen Basel
Reports on the Ethnographic Collections
Date
January 1, 1899
Accession Record
Museum der Kulturen Basel
Museum Commission Protocols
Date
December 28, 1899

Institution data

Museum der Kulturen Basel
The data was transferred directly through the Swiss Benin Initiative.
Last updated: 2022-07-04
Language: english
Institution fieldValue
Reg No.
object id
III 1033
Object name and materials
designation
Commemorative head of an Oba
Material
material
brass
Dimension/s
dimensions
H. 29 cm D. 21 cm
Provisional dating
date made
16th/17th century
Creditline
prior source
The money for the purchase came from: Elisabeth Sarasin-Sauvain
Provenances
provenance
16th / 17th century century commissioned from the Royal Bronze-casting Guild (Igun Eronmwon) by the Royal Palace of Benin; by descent to Oba Ovonramwen (Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, b. about 1857 - d. about 1914; r. 1888 - 1897); 1897, looted from the Royal Palace during the British military occupation of Benin; [...] ; until 1899 William D. Webster (London); 1899 purchased by Museum der Kulturen Basel with funds from Elisabeth Sarasin-Sauvain
Institution
department and institution
MKB Museum der Kulturen Basel
Institution acquisition date
accession date
1899
Additional IDs
Sensitive Content

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