- Type 1: The British Museum: Cast Bronze Tusk-Stand
- Type 2: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Head of an Oba
- Type 3: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Head of an Oba
- Type 4: Sotheby’s Important African and Oceanic Art, 11 June 2008
- Type 5: The British Museum: Cast Bronze Figure in Form of Head of a King
- Bottom image a scan from A History of Art in Africa2
Description
The first task of any new king (Oba) of Benin City is to create an altar dedicated to his deceased father who reigned before him. The altar (a semi-circular mud platform onto which altar objects are placed) is used to honour the previous Oba's legacy and serves as a point of communication with the deceased Oba.
The new Oba commissions the casting of a commemorative head (uhunmwun elao) which is usually placed on the altar together with other altar pieces such as the ukhurhe rattle staff and the aseberia altar tableau. It is believed among the Edo that the head is the driving force in human nature and is ultimately responsible for a person’s success in life. As such, uhunmwun elao are used to also signify the success and status of previous Obas. Each altar usually contains a number of uhunmwun elao heads (always in pairs) supporting carved ivory tusks.
For more, see the The Tribal Eye: Kingdom of Bronze video HERE on the Oba of Benin City.
Distinguishing Features
- Heads aren’t meant to be realistic portraits of deceased Obas but instead 'represent' the Oba and his status through symbols such as the coral-bead necklace or the beaded crown
- According to Philip Dark2 several types of commemorative heads exist:
- Type 1:
- Naturalistic
- Small compared to types 3 - 5
- Thin walled
- Tight fitting bead collar that does NOT cover the chin
- Lack of a beaded crown
- Three raised oval scarification marks above each eye (called ikharo)
- NOTE: Some anthropologists suggest type 1 heads do not depict royal ancestors and instead depict trophy heads of conquered enemies
- Type 2:
- Naturalistic
- Small compared to types 3 - 5
- Thin walled
- Rolled collar worn low on neck
- Latticework beaded crown with hanging bead strands
- Three raised oval scarification marks above each eye (called ikharo). Three marks denote Edo males and four denote Edo females
- Type 3:
- Extremely large and heavy
- Bead collar that extends up to mouth
- Bead clusters on crown
- Stylised features in face (swelled cheeks)
- Eyes are large, pointed ovals outlined by heavy rims
- Lower part of face swells to resemble section of sphere, as it emerges from collar
- Three raised oval scarification marks above each eye (called ikharo)
- Type 4:
- Extremely large and heavy
- Flange added to base of head
- Three raised oval scarification marks above each eye (called ikharo)
- Type 5:
- Extremely large and heavy
- Greater stylisation of facial features
- Winglike beaded projections on sides of crown
- Incised eyebrows
- Eyes are large, pointed ovals outlined by heavy rims
- Lower part of face swells to resemble section of sphere, as it emerges from collar
- Three raised oval scarification marks above each eye (called ikharo)
- Type 1:
