idno
1950.275
Edo designations
English designations
Relief Plaque
Fragment
Categories
Palace Architecture & Ornamentation
Location
1 Adesogbe (Plymouth) Road, P.M.B. 1115, Benin City , Edo State
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Relief Plaque
Relief Plaque
Relief Plaque

Iconographies

1 annotations
Ogho
Ram

The Ogho (ram) is associated with masculine and aggressive qualities, bravery and agility in Edo belief, as well as with conflict and trouble ( ). Due to these symbolic associations, the Ogho is one of the animals often used for sacrifice, particularly at the Ikẹgobọ (altar to the hand), as an offering associated with physical strength and power. Rams, particularly ram’s heads, are a common motif used to decorate the flanges of Uhunmwu-Elao (commemorative heads), as well as serving as the central decorative motif on pendant plaques. These Ogho pendant plaques are believed to have been worn by the Ọba, based on evidence from depictions of a figure interpreted as Ọba Ewuakpe ( ; ). According to Barbara Blackmun ( ), the Ogho head motif was one of the dynastic motifs that were revived during the 18th century. The widespread use of the ram’s head motif suggests connections with other southern Nigerian casting centres, such as Ife, Owo, and the Lower Niger Bronzes.

In addition to the ram’s head motif, two unusual aquamaniles in the form of whole Ogho figures were also cast by artists from the Igun-Ẹrọnmwọn.

1 annotation
Ogho

Provenance

6 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 Unknown member of the British colonial military campaign on Benin - February 1897 from Benin Kingdom.
Unknown
February 22, 1897 (day approximate) to 1901
The object is known to have come into contact with William Downing Webster, later in Bicester.
Purchase
February 22, 1897 (day approximate) to 1901
The object was purchased by Frederick William Green from William Downing Webster from Bicester to Cambridge.
Bequest
1950
The object was bequeathed by Frederick William Green to the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge in Cambridge.
Restitution
February 8, 2026
The object was restituted by the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge to the Omo n'Oba n'Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ọba of Benin & National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Nigeria from Cambridge to Nigeria.

Related archival documents

1 documents
See all
An archival document representing a Inventories of 257 page(s)
Inventory
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Stock books
Date
March 24, 1900 to December 31, 1903

Institution data

Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last updated: 2022-07-18
Language: english
Institution fieldValue
idno
object id
1950.275
local
edo designation
Physical description/0
description
Catalogue card notes: "Bronze bull's head in relief, part of a plaque"
Physical description/1
description
Physical description/2
description
Physical description/3
description
Physical description/4
description
d_Description Name
description
Part of a plaque with a bull's head in relief.
height
dimensions
123 mm
length
dimensions
38 mm
width
dimensions
117 mm
weight
weight
0.3404 kg
Inscription
inscriptions
Labels - Markings/0
inscriptions
Written in white ink on rear: '11704' [Webster Coll. no.]
Labels - Markings/1
inscriptions
Labels - Markings/2
inscriptions
Labels - Markings/3
inscriptions
Labels - Markings/4
inscriptions
Labels - Markings/5
inscriptions
period
date made
14th - 19th century
maker
producer
d_Place
production place
Africa; West Africa; Nigeria; [Kingdom of Benin]; Edo State; Benin City; Oba's palace
Other owners
prior source
source
prior source
Benin [collector]; Webster, William Downing [vendor]; Green, Frederick William [donor]
Collection or Excavation Year
date collected
culture group
ethnic attribution
Edo
source date
accession date
1950
Amendments - updates/0
notes
Unclear on catalogue card whether Edo refers to the province or language group, and whether 'Benin' refers to Benin City. [R.Hand]
Amendments - updates/1
notes
Catalogue card reads, in blue ink: "50.275 | Africa | Benin / Bronze bull's head in relief, part of a plaque. / Benin. / F.W. Green bequest." In second hand, black ink: ["Benin" has been struck through in top right and above it has been added] "Nigeria" Red circular sticker on bottom right of card.
Amendments - updates/2
notes
Photograph attached to rear of catalogue card.
Amendments - updates/3
notes
Amendments - updates/4
notes
Exhibition/0
exhibition history
Exhibition/1
exhibition history
Reference Numbers
bibliography
1950.275 Other: 119 [Fig.no]; 11704 [Webster Lot. no.]
References/0
bibliography
Webster, W.D. (9101) Illustrated Catalogue of Ethnological Specimens. European and Eastern Arms and Armour. Prehistoric and Other Curiosities, Vol. 5, No. 29. Illustrated on p. 52, fig, 119 as No.“119. (11704) Fragment of a bronze plaque representing a cow’s head, 4 ¾ by 4 ¾ inches. £0.15.0. 120.
References/0 2
bibliography
References/1
bibliography
Related Documents/0
bibliography
Related Documents/1
bibliography
Related Documents/2
bibliography
Related Documents/3
bibliography
Related Documents/4
bibliography
Related Documents/5
bibliography
Related Documents/6
bibliography
Acquisition Details/0
Acquisition Details/1
Acquisition Details/2
Analysis/0
In January 2017, Prof. Marcos Martinon-Torres and Agnese Benzonelli, UCL Institute of Archaeology, tested this idno using a portable XRF as part of a programme of base metal analysis of Benin material.
Analysis/1
Archaeology
Auction - Sale/0
Given by Frederick William Green, Honorary Keeper of Antiquities at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (1908–1949). The majority of 'bronze' items such as these in museum collections were collected on the 1897 Punitive to Benin. This is likely to be the origin of this work but there is no documentation on Green's acquisition. The Webster sale number suggests it was sold by Bicester dealer William Webster at some stage probably between 1898- 1901, but the number has not yet been connected to a specific auction.
Auction - Sale/1
CMS Context/0
CMS Description
Catalogue
Display/0
Exhibited: 'Metal in Africa', MAA, 1996
Display/1
Display/2
Display/3
Field_collection/0
Collected on the 1897 Punitive .
Field_collection/1
Found_together - assemblage
Freezing
Online Only
Other/0
Other/1
Production - use
Remedial/0
Remedial/1
Surface Clean
unknown
Sensitive Content

Digital Benin collates digital material from institutions, and some of this material is inherently colonial and contains words, terms and phrases that are inaccurate, derogatory and harmful towards African and African diasporic communities. Catalogue transcriptions, book titles, exhibition titles and museum titles may contain harmful terms. We recognise the potential for the material to cause physical and mental distress as well as evoke strong emotions. Owing to the scale of the collection’s data, a process to implement sensitive-content warnings in the displayed data is still incomplete. The material within the catalogue does not represent Digital Benin’s views. Digital Benin maintains a strong anti-colonial, anti-racist position and affirms its support for centring the humanity of historically marginalised and disenfranchised communities. Read more about the background of this statement here