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Head of a king

Belt masks cast from brass were worn by high-ranking members of palace society. While scholars consider these masks to be depictions of the king due to their rich decoration with coral beads, in Benin they are regarded as images of a defeated rebel dignitary.

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Data Provider
Ethnologisches Museum Show original at data provider

Cataloguing data

Object type
Belt mask (Hip mask)
Dimensions
Height: 17,3 cm
Width: 10,4 cm
Depth: 5 cm
Weight: 2 kg
Material/Technique
Brass
Current location
Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Inventory number
III C 7662 a

Provenance and sources

  • Production
    where
    Benin [kingdom]
  • Production
    when
    18th century-19th century.
    where
    Nigeria
  • Collecting
    who
    Hale & Son - Former Possessors
  • Change of legal title:
    Acquisition
    Description
    18th century to 19th century, commissioned in the Kingdom of Benin; ownership before 1897 currently unknown; probably looted in connection with the British conquest of Benin, 1897; auctioned by the firm of Hale & Son, 1897; purchased by the Royal Museum of Ethnology, 1897.
  • Assignment to a curated holding:
    Africa

Information about the record

Legal status metadata
CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED
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