Catalogue
Object number
1978.007
Institution
MIM Musical Instrument Museum
Edo designations
English designations
Charm
Crotal Bell
Categories
Musical Instruments
Staffs
Location
10 Parc du Cinquantenaire, 1000, Belgium
Charm
Charm

Iconographies

1 annotations
alligator
Ẹghughu
Crocodile

In the riverine area surrounding Benin City, there are two types of crocodile. The Ẹghughu, known in English as the dwarf or bush crocodile, is believed to be more docile ( ; Ọbazee 2025, p. 133). The second type is the Àgbákà, the aggressive Nile crocodile ( ; Ọbazee 2025, p. 11).

Crocodiles are one of the important animals represented in the historical Emwin Arhe, and they are known as Olokun’s guards or the “policemen” of the waters. The powerful and ferocious qualities of these animals might explain why warrior figures are often depicted wearing Uhunmwu-Ẹkuẹ (pendant masks) in the shape of crocodile heads on Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (bronze relief plaques) ( ). Olokun devotees use crocodiles as sacrificial animals in offerings during the worship of Olokun.

1 annotation
Ẹghughu

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.
Purchase
1964 to 1978
The object was purchased by Emile Deletaille with its destination in City of Brussels.
Purchase
1978
The object was purchased by the MIM Musical Instrument Museum from Emile Deletaille in City of Brussels.

Institution data

MIM Musical Instrument Museum
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last updated: 2021-03-05
Language: english
Institution fieldValue
Object number
object id
1978.007
Object name
designation
Stick rattle
Notes
description
Controle fiche 1978: "Benin (Nigeria)" Bronzen staaf die naar boven toe breder wordt. Bovenaan is een bol met boven vier staalsgewijze spleten en bovenaan een knopje. In de bol zit een kogeltje. De steel is versierd met twee gestyleerde krokodillen, twee gezichten met snor die van elkaar weg kijken. Onderaan is een lus. MACH in CF: "Scepterrammelaar met kogelklokje. Cilindervormig staafje bekroond met kogelklokje. Dit kogelklokje wordt door een platte ronde horizontale schijf in twee verdeeld. Daaronder loopt de decoratie met ringvormige motieven in een figuratief decoratiepatroon over, nl. de krokodil in laagrelief. Daarna herneemt de geometrische decoratie om over te vloeien in 2 mannenhoofden met scherpe neus, lange snor (Janushoofd) en bakkebaarden. Het platte ronde schijfje op hun hoofd loopt over in een cilindrisch handvatje dat eindigt op een ringetje. Volgens verloren vormtechniek gegoten. BENA1976,246: In Benin wordt de krokodil geassocieerd met het koninkrijk van Olokun; ze wordt beschouwd als de "politieman van het water" en is gevreesd voor haar wreedheid en hardnekkigheid. MAEY1989: Sceptre clochette
Mat./Tech.
material
Material : Bronze
Dimensions
dimensions
Dimensions H x W x D: 6 x 28.9 x 6 cm
From…To
date made
before 1978
Object History
prior source
Museum acquisition, Emile Deletaille Vendeur, Purchase, 1978-05-08, = date d'acq. ; Museum acquisition, Vendeur, Purchase, 1978-05-17, = date d'entrée
Author/Culture
ethnic attribution
Edo/Bini, Bevolking; Unknown Edo/Bini, Bouwer
Depository
department and institution
Collection Musical Instruments, Musée des Instruments de Musique
Owner
legal status
Royal Museums of Art and History
CC-Licence
license
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Classifications
112.13 Vessel rattles
Geo. Ref.
Production place : Nigeria
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

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