ObjectNumber_Original
VO_64734
Institution
Weltmuseum Wien
Edo designations
English designations
Relief Plaque
Categories
Palace Architecture & Ornamentation
Location
Heldenplatz, 1010 Wien, Austria
Loading...
Relief Plaque
Relief Plaque
Relief Plaque
Relief Plaque
Relief Plaque
Relief Plaque
Relief Plaque
Relief Plaque
Relief Plaque

Iconographies

4 annotations
Asoro
Spears

Asoro (spears) were used as weapons in battle and for hunting ( ; Ọbazee 2025, p. 37). According to , there were two types: long and short. Figures holding Asoro are often depicted on Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (bronze relief plaques), sometimes in battle scenes and at ceremonies and festivals.

1 annotation
Asoro
Ikoro
Armcuff

Ikoro (armcuffs) are made from different materials using different techniques, including brass sheet, cast bronze, and ivory. They were crafted by different guilds depending on the material used: artists of the Igun-Ẹrọnmwọn cast them in brass or hammered and incised them from brass sheet, whereas artists of the Igbesamwan carved ivory Ikoro. Ikoro were made in different qualities, from rather simple examples with abstract geometric decoration to finely carved ivory examples with brass or copper inlays. Ikoro are worn in pairs on both forearms by chiefs and the Ọba during ceremonies and festivals. Figures depicted on the Emwin Arhe (royal treasures) are often shown wearing such pairs.

1 annotation
Ikoro
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
Asa
Shield

Asa (shields) are a crucial attribute of warriors and warrior chiefs, forming part of their ceremonial and battle attire as represented on the Emwin Arhe (royal treasures). Asa were usually made from elephant or crocodile skin and used by warriors for protection during hand-to-hand combat (Osadolor 2001, p. 102). Interestingly, the form of Asa depicted on historic royal artefacts differs from those found in museum collections today, reflecting changes in shield shapes and designs over time.

1 annotation
Asa

Provenance

4 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 1899
The object is known to have come into contact with Wilson.
Purchase
1899
The object was purchased by the Weltmuseum Wien from Wilson through the Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin with its destination in Vienna.

Related archival documents

1 documents
See all
An archival document representing a Inventories of 1 page(s)
InventoryAccession Record
Weltmuseum Wien
Inventory book - objects

Institution data

Weltmuseum Wien
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last updated: 2022-05-24
Languages: german, english
Institution fieldValue
ObjectNumber_Original
object id
VO_64734
NativeTitle
edo designation
TextEntry
description
Diese Reliefplatte: Krieger ? ist Teil der historischen Sammlungen aus dem Königreich Benin im heutigen Nigeria. 1897 wurde das Königreich erobert und dessen Oba (König) Ovonramwen ins Exil verbannt. Die aus dem Königspalast geraubten Kunstschätze wurden
Medium
material
Gelbguss
Medium_en
material
Brass
ObjectName
object type
Reliefplatte
ObjectName_en
object type
Relief Plaque
DateBegin
date made
DateEnd
date made
Dated
date made
Dated_en
date made
Period
date made
Term
production place
Afrika südlich der Sahara
Term2
production place
West-Afrika
Term3
production place
Nigeria
Term4
production place
Benin
Thesaurus
production place
Afrika südlich der Sahara/West-Afrika/Nigeria/Benin
Provenance
provenance
Role_person
provenance
Sammlung-Collection-Wilson|Zugang über-Accession via-Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Ethnologisches Museum|
Culture
ethnic attribution
Edo, Benin Königreich
Culture_en
ethnic attribution
Edo, Benin Kingdom
CreditLine
department and institution
Weltmuseum Wien
Department
department and institution
MVK Objekte - Afrika südlich der Sahara
Zugangsdatum
accession date
1899
LocationString
display status
FileName
images
VO_64734_VO_64734_a.jpg|VO_64734.jpg|
PrimaryImage
images
VO_64734_VO_64734_a.jpg
Classification
||
DepartmentID
35
Department_cut
Afrika südlich der Sahara
DisplayOrder
|
Last_Modified
2021-12-06 08:15:34
LocationID
ObjectID
441015
ObjectNumber
64734
PublicAccess
1
SortNumber
VO 64734
TextDate_en
|
TextEntryHTML
Diese Reliefplatte: Krieger ? ist Teil der historischen Sammlungen aus dem Königreich Benin im heutigen Nigeria. 1897 wurde das Königreich erobert und dessen Oba (König) Ovonramwen ins Exil verbannt. Die aus dem Königspalast geraubten Kunstschätze wurden
TextEntryHTML_en
This Relief Plaque is part of the historical collections from the Benin Kingdom, in present-day Nigeria. In 1897, the kingdom was conquered and Oba (king) Ovonramwen banned into exile. The loot from the royal palace was then sold through the art market to
TextEntry_en
This Relief Plaque is part of the historical collections from the Benin Kingdom, in present-day Nigeria. In 1897, the kingdom was conquered and Oba (king) Ovonramwen banned into exile. The loot from the royal palace was then sold through the art market to
cxrDisplayOrder
1|
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