Iconographies

1 annotations

Ẹkpẹn

Leopard

See Ẹkpẹn page

The Ẹkpẹn (leopard) is an animal that appears most often among the motifs decorating the Emwin Arhe (royal treasures). The Ẹkpẹn symbolises the valour and strength of the Ọba, as well as his political authority. The Benin people eulogise the Ọba as the ‘ẹkpẹn n'owa’ (leopard of the home).

When a hunter kills a leopard, he must say “ẹkpẹn n'oha” (I killed a bush leopard), as it is taboo to say that a hunter killed a leopard without specifying that it is a bush leopard, as otherwise this would “be tantamount to symbolically killing the king” (Nevadomsky 1988, p. 81). For this reason, leopards of the bush are called Atalakpa to distinguish them from those that represent the Ọba.

1 annotation

Provenance

5 events

Production

1750 (year uncertain/approximate) to February 22, 1897 (day approximate)

The object was produced by Unknown member(s) of the Igbesamwan 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 1956

The object is known to have come into contact with E. Loder, later in Selhurst.

Unknown

February 22, 1897 (day approximate) to 1956

The object is known to have come into contact with G. W. Otter, later in Broadstone.

Donation

1956

The object was donated by G. W. Otter to the Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust from Broadstone to Brighton.

Institution data

Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust

The data was transferred directly by the institution.

Last updated: 2022-02-10

Language: english

Institution field	Value
Acc/ID Number object id	WA501245
Object Name designation	Tusk
Description description	The tusk is covered all over in carving mostly representing human figures in bas relief. There is a depiction of a king at top in coral bead regalia. Leopards, mud fish and Portuguese traders are also depicted.
Description/Acquisition Overview description	Tusk, Nineteenth Century. The tusk is covered all over in carving mostly representing human figures in bas relief. There is a depiction of a king at top in coral bead regalia. Leopards, mud fish and Portuguese traders are also depicted. All formally of the collection of Sir Henry Loder, Bart [Baronet] Selehurst.
Materials material	animal ivory
Measurements dimensions	whole: 1920 x 140 mm
Record Type object type	Core
Date Created date made	19th Century
Place Created production place	Nigeria, West Africa, Africa
Credit Line prior source	Donated by Mr G W Otter in 1956
Donor prior source	G.W Otter Esq, Southwood, Broadstone, Dorset.
Collector provenance	LODER E. SIR
Object (hi)story provenance
Date Collected date collected
Place Collected place collected
Cultural Grp ethnic attribution	Edo; Bini
Department department and institution	World Art
Acquistion date accession date	24th of April 1957
New research info 2022 notes
Ext Exhib History exhibition history	People, Places Profits (Museum trail September 2007-April 2008)
Legal Status legal status	Permanent Collection
Creator	Unrecorded
Documentation Issues
History file contents
Loan Allowed?	Y
Other no.	R5000/1

Sensitive Content

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