- Museum number
- Af1897,1224.1
- Title
- Series: Benin Ivory
- Description
-
Altar tusk; made of elephant ivory carved with human and animal figures in relief.
- Production date
- 18thC (?)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 215 centimetres (inner curve: tip to base (approx))
-
Height: 229 centimetres (outer curve: tip to base (approx))
-
Width: 12 centimetres (base (approx))
-
Depth: 13 centimetres (base (approx))
- Curator's comments
- Read & Dalton 1899:
Elephant tusk carved in relief, in the same style as Af1224.2. The plaited band at the base is much decayed; there are twelve figures on the outer curve in the usual variety of dress, one of them being a European with two half figures of Europeans apparently as attendants; beyond these, on the sides of the tusks, are two other Europeans each shooting at a deer with a cross-bow. (See Fig 6 on details image.) The eighth figure from the bottom represents a chief or god with curved appendages in place of legs ending in cat-fish heads, his head-dress also represents a cat-fish, and a snake issues from each hip; he holds in his right hand a knife-dagger and in his left a jointed staff. (Fig. 7, details image.) A similar figure, but with crocodiles issuing from his head, is on the side of the tusk, but in the last a crocodile comes from between the cat-fish legs and is attacking a deer. Another figure on the side represents a Bini chief riding a horse and holding a spear ; the last figure next the point of the tusk has a cat-fish head-dress, and holds a cat-fish in each hand; two of the same creatures proceed from his hips. (Fig. 9, details image.) On the inner curve are several conventional cat-fish; from the mouth of one of them issues a snake, which appears to be disgorging two cat-fish. Among the other subjects are figures of Europeans, birds devouring snakes, deer, &c. The point of the tusk is carved to represent a chief's head with two faces.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
1970-1973, London, Museum of Mankind, Divine Kingship in Africa
1997-1998 Sep-Jan, Osaka, National Museum of Ethnology, Images of Other Cultures
1998, Feb-Apr, Tokyo, Setagaya Art Museum, Images of Other Cultures
- Condition
- Fair; base of tusk is missing. Areas of delamination on surface.
- Acquisition date
- 1897
- Acquisition notes
- During the British Expedition to Benin City (Edo) in 1897 objects made of brass, ivory, coral and wood were looted by British soldiers from the royal palace, its storerooms and compounds.
Some of these objects were sold or exchanged on the coast. However, many were brought to the UK where they were sold through private auction, donated to museums, or retained by soldiers of the expedition.
See Collection File: Af1897,1224.1-4.
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Af1897,1224.1
