Antique Works of Art from Benin: Collected by Lieutenant-General Pitt RiversPitt-Rivers, Augustus Henry Lane-Fox
History
Antique Works of Art from Benin: Collected by Lieutenant-General Pitt Rivers
Pitt-Rivers, Augustus Henry Lane-Fox
Art objects -- Nigeria -- Benin City -- Catalogs
Figs. 277 and 278.--Head carved in hard wood. The coral choker, the
band round the head-dress, the feather on left side and the base are
entirely covered with thin brass or bronze. Apparently intended to
represent a cast metal head. Whether this is the case, or whether it is
earlier than the introduction of metal casting, it is difficult to say.
The face only and the top of the head-dress are left uncovered with
metal. The top of the head-dress represents a reticulated head-dress
of agate, like No. 121. The pupils of the eyes and the three tribal
marks over each eye are of darker wood let in. There is a bronze band
of metal along the forehead and nose. A ring of bronze-headed nails
surrounds each eye. There is a broad hanging band on each side of the
face, covered with thin metal and surmounted by a conical ornament.
The metal is fastened on to the wood with oblong rivets. The face is
extremely rudely carved. Round the base is a band of peculiar ornament
in repoussé work, which is either intended for a floral ornament or
a broken guilloche pattern, like that on the blades of the wands and
elsewhere. There is a vertical hole through the back of the head, which
is not large enough to contain a tusk.
Figs. 279 and 280.--Bronze rod, pointed below; perhaps the head of a
staff intended to fit on to a wooden stem. Ornamented with a human
figure sitting at top, with a human-headed staff in right hand, and a
neolithic celt, edge up, in left hand. Coral choker and head-dress with
serpents hanging head downwards, and a band of straight line diaper
pattern. Three tribal marks over each eye. Band of guilloche pattern on
skirt-rings for pendants (? crotals). Below, in a separate division,
is a nude human figure kneeling and holding something in front in both
hands. At sides sinuous serpents with the heads down, and crocodiles or
lizards. Below again a sinuous serpent, head upwards. The whole very
rudely cast.
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XXXVII.
Figs. 281 and 282.--Bronze square bell, the ornamentation tastefully
designed, with a human head, crocodiles, and floral ornaments. The
clapper is in the form of a sinuous snake, head downwards.
Fig. 283.--Ivory armlet, very rudely carved in human figures,
crocodiles, serpents, &c.
Figs. 284 and 285.--Brass or bronze sword, the pommel in the form of a
twisted ring, as so frequently shown on the plaques, see Figs. 4, 113,
179, 255, etc. The blade is of unusual form, very broad, and rounded at
the end.
Figs. 286 to 288.--Bronze plaque, representing a figure standing and
holding in his left hand a staff with an eagle on the top. A staff with
a bird on the top is represented in one of the figures of No. 139.
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XXXVIII.
Fig. 289.--Bronze plaque, representing a human head with straight
combed hair. Aquiline nose, moustache and beard; not of negro type. The
ground ornamented with the usual leaf ornament.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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