ObjectNumber
2012.250
Edo designations
English designations
Trophy Head
Categories
Altar & Shrine Objects
Heads
Location
465 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, United States
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Iconographies

2 annotations
Colar Bead
Odigba
Coral beaded collar

Odigba (coral-beaded collar) is a rigid neck collar made of coral beads, worn as part of ceremonial attire only by senior princes who have been made Enigie (Inneh 2007, p. 107). Although Ibafe (2007, p. 43) argued that the Odigba was introduced during the Ogiso period (c. 900–c. 1170 AD) by Ogiso Ere, along with other symbolically important Emwin Arhe, such as the Ada (ceremonial sword) and the Ẹbẹn (ceremonial sword), this seems unlikely, as coral was only introduced in the late 15th century through trade with Portuguese merchants.

1 annotation
Odigba
Ikharo
Forehead markings

Ikharo are linear keloid markings depicted on the forehead of Uhunmwu-Elao (commemorative heads) in groups of three or four above each eye. The exact meaning of Ikharo is debated; some have argued that they relate to the gender or tribal identification of the person on whom they are depicted. For example, has argued that they were worn only by men; however, their use in depictions is not consistent with this, and the Iy’Ọba are also shown wearing them. argued that they are instead a stylistic feature employed by artists that varied over time.

The naming of these markings differs between publications. For example, describe these markings as “agbaguda n'ehae”, which they write translates literally as “blades of the forehead”. However, later went on to call these “ikharo”, as used here. referred to these forehead markings as ikharo, meaning “tribal mark [of eye]”.

1 annotation
Ikharo

Provenance

5 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.
Unknown
1940s to 1970
The object is known to have come into contact with Jay C. Leff, later in Uniontown.
Unknown
1970 to April 25, 2012
The object is known to have come into contact with Robert Owen Jr. Lehman, later in Rochester.
Gift
April 25, 2012
The object was given as a gift by Robert Owen Jr. Lehman to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston from Rochester to Boston.

Institution data

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last updated: 2022-03-03
Language: english
Institution fieldValue
ObjectNumber
object id
2012.250
Title
designation
Commemorative head
Description
description
WebDescription
description
Medium/Technique
material
Copper alloy, iron
Dimensions
dimensions
Length x width: 20.3 x 15.9 cm (8 x 6 1/4 in.)
Classification
object type
Sculpture
DateBegin
date made
1475
DateEnd
date made
1525
DateLabel
date made
late 15th–early 16th century
Artist/Maker
producer
By: Artist Unidentified; By: Royal Bronze-casting Guild (Igun Eronmwon)
Geography
production place
Object Place: Benin Kingdom, Nigeria
CreditLine
prior source
Robert Owen Lehman Collection
Provenance
provenance
By 1964 until at least 1970, Jay C. Leff (b. 1925 - d. 2000), Uniontown, PA [see note]. 2012, gift of Robert Owen Lehman to the MFA. (Accession Date: April 25, 2012) NOTE: Included in the exhibitions "African Sculpture from the Collection of Jay C. Leff" (Museum of Art, New York. November 25, 1964 – February 7, 1965), cat. no. 71 and "The Art of : Collection Jay C. Leff" (Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, October 24, 1969 –January 18, 1970), cat. no. 186.
Culture
ethnic attribution
Edo, Benin kingdom, Nigeria
AccessionDate
accession date
4/25/12
Sensitive Content

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