Memorial head of an "oba"
Description
heavy wood, partly encrusted brown patina, schematized facial features, chin and neck veiled by a high collar, a cap with wing-shaped projection on top, cavity on the back, lobes aside, min. dam., cracks, small missing parts, slight traces of abrasion;
the Benin people believed that the head of a deceased guides man through life and represents a guarantor for prosperity and well-being of the whole community. The head is the place for thinking, judging, hearing, seeing, speaking and of life as a whole. The kings heads show common, non-individual facial features, serving as a representation of power and wealth. Versions of terracotta and wood were displayed on ancestor shrines of chiefs and bronze casters, while the heads made of brass were reserved for kings.