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. 11 and 12.--Bronze plaque, representing a figure holding a ball,
perhaps a cannon ball, in front. Coral choker, badge of rank. Three
tribal marks over each eye. Crest on head-dress, feather in cap. Skirt
wound up behind left shoulder. Skirt ornamented with a head and hands.
Four rosettes on ground, and usual foil ornaments incised. Guilloche on
sides of plaque.
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE IV.
Fig. 13.--Bronze plaque, figure of warrior, feather in cap; broad
leaf-shaped sword in right hand. Coral choker, badge of rank. Leopards'
teeth necklace. Coral sash; ground ornamented with leaf-shaped foil,
ornaments incised.
Figs. 14 and 15.--Bronze ægis or plaque, with representations of two
figures with staves in their right hands. Coral chokers, badge of rank.
On the breasts are two Maltese crosses hanging from the necks, which
appear to be European Orders. The objects held in left hands have been
broken off. The hats are similar to that on the head of the figure,
Fig. 91, Plate XV. Ground ornamented with the usual foil ornaments
incised.
Fig. 16.--Bronze plaque, figure of warrior with pot helmet, button on
top. Coral choker, badge of rank, on neck. Leopards' teeth necklace.
Quadrangular bell on breast. Armlets, anklets, &c. Four rosettes on
ground, and the usual foil ornaments incised.
Fig. 17.--Bronze plaque, figure of warrior with spear in right hand,
shield in left hand; pot helmet, button on top. Quadrangular bell
hanging from neck. Coral choker, badge of rank. Leopards' teeth
necklace. Leopard's skin dress with head to front. On the ground are
two horses' heads below and two rosettes above. Ground ornamented with
the usual foil ornaments incised.
Fig. 18.--Bronze plaque, figure of warrior. Peculiarly ornamented
head-dress. Coral choker, badge of rank. Leopards' teeth necklace.
Broad leaf-shaped sword in right hand. Coral sash on breast. Leopard's
mask hanging on left side. Armlets, anklets, &c. Small figure of boy,
naked, to right, holding a metal dish with lid in form of an ox's head.
A similar object may be seen amongst the Benin objects in the British
Museum.
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE V.
Figs. 19, 20 and 21.--Stained ivory carving of figure on horse. Coral
choker; spear in right hand, the shaft broken. Tribal marks on forehead
incised. Chain-bridle or head-collar. Degenerate guilloche pattern on
base. Straight line diaper pattern represented in various parts. The
stand formed as a socket for a pole.
Figs. 22, 23 and 24.--Ivory carving of figure on horse, with spear in
right hand and bell on neck, and long hair. The bridle formed as a
head-collar. Degenerate guilloche pattern on base. The stand formed as
a socket for a pole ornamented with bands of interlaced pattern and the
head of an animal.
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE VI.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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