An Uhunmwu-Elao commemorative head of an Ọba

 An Uhunmwu-Elao commemorative head of an Ọba, in the style of Benin, casted in bronze, Nigeria, iron inlays as pupils, regalia of coral beads, a cap-like crown and a high collar of coral necklaces, different layers of encrusted oxidations. Certificate of origin and provenance.

The altar of these heads consists of a commemorative head that supported once the carved ivory tusk. It could have a circular base or a rectangular-shaped base. However, they all have a unifying feature, which is the hole at the centre in which the tusk is placed.
After the death of an Oba, an altar was built for him in a closed courtyard of a Benin palace. One of the most important objects on these altars were memorial heads of the deceased cast from brass. Extensive rituals and regular sacrifices at this altar by the successor confirmed his ties to the royal ancestors and increased his spiritual power. See Digital Benin, the Uhunmwu-Elao commemorative heads

Felix von Luschan, Die Altertümer von Benin, Band 1, Berlin 1919, S. 355-358. Philip J. C. Dark: An introduction to Benin art and technology, Oxford 1973, S. 95. William Fagg, Bildwerke aus Nigeria, München 1963, S. 44. Armand Duchateau Benin. Kunst einer Afrikanischen Königskultur, München 1995, S. 45-53.

Height: 25 cm
Weight: 2,8 kg