Iconographies

1 annotations

Ahianmwẹ

Birds

See Ahianmwẹ page

A variety of different kinds of Ahianmwẹ (birds) were depicted by artists from the palace guilds on royal artefacts over the centuries. The precise identification and interpretation of these birds, and the meanings attributed to them, vary. Some of the most commonly depicted are the Akala (white-backed vulture), Oɛɣohɔ (vulturine fish eagle), and Esughusughu (owl).

The Akala is usually depicted on top of Osogan, potent staffs kept by priests for the worship of Osun. Its ewawa (beak) is associated with the azen (witches), and the Akala is associated with “death, abandonment, morbidity, and spoils” ( ). The Oɛɣohɔ is known as the “king of the day birds,” and its feathers are often worn by chiefs in their headwear as symbols of respected old age and proper chieftaincy ( ).

1 annotation

Provenance

7 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 Norman Burrows from Benin Kingdom.

Purchase

February 22, 1897 (year approximate) to 1898

The object was purchased by William Downing Webster from Norman Burrows with its destination in Bicester.

Purchase

1898

The object was purchased by Augustus Henry Pitt-Rivers (Lane Fox) from William Downing Webster from Bicester to Farnham.

Unknown

unknown to 1991

The object is known to have come into contact with Alvin Abrams, later in New York City.

Purchase

1970s to 1991

The object was purchased by Klaus Gunther & Amelia 'Dolly' Perls from Alvin Abrams in New York City.

Gift

1991

The object was given as a gift by Klaus Gunther & Amelia 'Dolly' Perls to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Institution data

Metropolitan Museum of Art

The data was transferred directly by the institution.

Last updated: 2021-07-30

Language: english

Institution field	Value
Object Number object id	1991.17.134a, b
Object Sort Number object id	1991 17 134a b
Primary Rendition No object id	DT6617
Title designation object type	Altar Ring
Medium material	Brass
Dimensions dimensions	H. 1 7/8 × W. 8 1/2 × D. 8 1/2 in. (4.8 × 21.6 × 21.6 cm)
Classification object type	Metal-Sculpture
Date date made	17th–19th century
Geo: City production place	Court of Benin (?)
Geo: Country production place	Nigeria
Credit Line prior source	Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Klaus G. Perls, 1991
Provenance provenance	Court of Benin; taken from the Royal Palace in 1897 during the British military occupation of Benin by Norman Burrows; [W. D. Webster, until 1898]; Augustus Lane-Fox Pitt-Rivers, Farnham, Dorset, U.K., from 1898; [Alvin Abrams, Conneticut and New York]; Mr. and Mrs. Klaus G. Perls, New York, until 1991
Dynasty reign associated name	Oranmiyan
Culture ethnic attribution	Edo peoples
ExhibitionHistory exhibition history	Royal Art of Benin from the Perls Collection The Metropolitan Museum of Art, January 16, 1992–September 13,1992
Bibliography bibliography	Ezra, Kate. Royal Art of Benin: The Perls Collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1992, pp. 102–103, no. 32.
Published References bibliography	Pitt-Rivers, Lieutenant General Lane-Fox. 1900. Antique Works of Art from Benin. London: pl. 25. Vogel, Susan Mullin. "Rapacious Birds and Severed Heads: Early Bronze Rings from Nigeria" The Art Institute of Chicago Centennial Lectures / Museum Studies 10, 1983, p331-357. "ROYAL ART OF BENIN. The Perls Collection in The Metropolitan Museum of Art." Kate Ezra. The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Harry N. Abrams Inc., New York 1992, no. 32

Metropolitan Museum of Art

The data was downloaded via a public data access of the institution.

Last updated: 2025-05-26

Language: english

Institution field	Value
Is Highlight	False
Is Timeline Work	True
Is Public Domain license	True
Object ID object id	316602
Department department and institution	Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
AccessionYear accession date	1991
Object Name object type	Altar ring
Title designation	Altar Ring
Culture ethnic attribution	Edo peoples
Object Date date made	17th–19th century
Object Begin Date date made	1600
Object End Date date made	1897
Medium material	Brass
Dimensions dimensions	H. 1 7/8 × W. 8 1/2 × D. 8 1/2 in. (4.8 × 21.6 × 21.6 cm)
Credit Line prior source	Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Klaus G. Perls, 1991
City	Court of Benin (?)
Country production place	Nigeria
Classification object type	Metal-Sculpture
Link Resource weblink	http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/316602
Object Wikidata URL	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q96064588
Repository department and institution	Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Tags iconography	Birds
Tags AAT URL iconography	http://vocab.getty.edu/page/aat/300266506
Tags Wikidata URL iconography	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5113

Sensitive Content

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