Commemorative head
Cast copper alloy head of an Oba, into which a large carved tusk would have been placed. Probably made to commemorate the reign of Oba Osemwede which ended in 1848. It was placed on an altar in the Oba’s Palace in Benin.
Donated by Ralph Locke in 1915, who was one of two named survivors of the ill-fated trade mission to Benin City which was attacked in January 1897, and which gave the British government the excuse they required to invade the following month of that year.
H. 385 x Dia. 250 mm
Donated by Ralph Locke in 1915, who was one of two named survivors of the ill-fated trade mission to Benin City which was attacked in January 1897, and which gave the British government the excuse they required to invade the following month of that year.
H. 385 x Dia. 250 mm
Object Summary
- Accession Loan No.
- 202/1915
- Category
- Ethnography
- Collection Class
- Religion and magic
- Collection Area Region
- W
- Material
- cast copper alloy
- Common Name
- commemorative head
- Simple Name
- sculpture
- Production Town
- Benin City
- Production County
- SW Nigeria
- Production Country
- Nigeria
- Production Date
- c1816
- Production Year High
- 1848
