Galerie Peter Herrmann
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Ancient Art from Africa
 
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Memorial Head

Linie
Memorial Head of General Ekeghughu Ahnekpo Thermoluminescence-Report
Benin-City, Nigeria
Bronze
about 1899
27 cm
TL-Expertise
 

Linie
Description

This head was made in memory of a distinguished person from Ife or Benin, known as "General Ekeghugu Ahnekpo". It is the last of the memorial heads that stood in the Obaseki shrine and can be dated to the year 1899. A 2007 TL analysis indicated an age of 100 years (plus or minus 30%), confirming an estimate made in 1989.

Stylistically, this head follows the model of representations of Esigie's warrior father, Oba Ozolua the Conqueror (1481-1504), a legendary figure well-known for his impenetrable iron cloak, which included a rectangular headdress like the one seen here. The facial characteristics of this head, however, are more closely related to the later, more realistic period of casting; furthermore, the head is smaller than most 16 th-century heads.


Linie
Links to the other three objects from the shrine of Obaseki
Ife-Style Head Moro Iviovor Edion Edo Ife-Style-Head


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