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. 41 and 42.--Figure of a warrior in bronze, with leopard's skin
dress; javelins in one hand and shield in the other. Head-dress of
peculiar form, with feathers. Leopards' teeth necklace. Quadrangular
bell on breast.
Figs. 43 and 44.--Female figure in bronze, holding up a tablet in right
hand. Head-dress, necklace, &c., of coral or agate. Three tribal marks
over each eye.
Figs. 45 and 46.--Bronze vessel, somewhat in the form of a coffee-pot.
Handle at back, consisting of a snake with a sinuous body, head
downwards, holding a full-length human figure in its mouth. The spout
consists of a human figure, seated, with two tails; and the spout
springs out of the mouth between the teeth of the figure. Round the
swell of the vessel are four figures resembling frogs, the bodies
ornamented as human heads; nearly similar ornaments are seen on Mexican
stone carvings in this collection. The four feet resemble human feet
with anklets, all pointing to the front. The lid is ornamented with a
human figure seated and four masks, and is fastened to the pot by a
hinge.
Figs. 47 and 48.--Bracelet of bronze, ornamented with two rudely formed
human heads; some of the yellow earth of the mould appears to be
adhering to the interstices.
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE IX.
Figs. 49 and 50.--Narrow armlet of brass, with a succession of animals
(? Lizards) in relief on the edge.
Figs. 51 and 52.--Bronze pointed dish on stand, with ribbed cover,
rabbetted. Use unknown; perhaps an European ecclesiastical utensil.
Figs. 53 to 55.--Head of a mace, ornamented with leopard and keepers
and heads in bas-relief; decorated with interlaced strap-work, with
brass inlaid in copper. The human heads are partly negro, whilst others
from their straight hair appear to be white men, perhaps Arabs or
cross-breds. The mud-fish is represented one on each side. Described by
Mr. H. Ling Roth in "The Reliquary," Vol. IV, 1898, p. 162.
Figs. 56 and 57.--Bronze bottle or power flask, representing a female
with barbed arrow-points extending from both sides of the mouth;
perhaps symbolical; and holding a four-pronged instrument in the right
hand. Three tribal marks over each eye; coral necklace.
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE X.
Figs. 58 and 59.--Leopard's mask head of brass, the pupils of the eyes
represented by a copper band. A band of copper inlaid along the nose
and forehead. A barbed figure on each cheek.
Figs. 60 and 61.--Leopard's mask head of brass, the pupils of the eyes
represented by bands. A barbed figure on each cheek. Eyelets along the
edges, perhaps to receive crotals as in Figs. 58 and 59.
Figs. 62 and 63.--Leopard's head in brass, the spots and pupils of eyes
in copper. This appears to have been attached with a leather thong to
the dress.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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