Iconographies

1 annotations

Ẹghughu

Crocodile

See Ẹghughu page

In the riverine area surrounding Benin City, there are two types of crocodile. The Ẹghughu, known in English as the dwarf or bush crocodile, is believed to be more docile. Ọbazee 2025, p. 133 The second type is the Àgbákà, the aggressive Nile crocodile. Ọbazee 2025, p. 11

Crocodiles are one of the important animals represented in the historical Emwin Arhe, and they are known as Olokun’s guards or the “policemen” of the waters. The powerful and ferocious qualities of these animals might explain why warrior figures are often depicted wearing Uhunmwu-Ẹkuẹ (pendant masks) in the shape of crocodile heads on Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (bronze relief plaques). Olokun devotees use crocodiles as sacrificial animals in offerings during the worship of Olokun.

1 annotation

Provenance

4 events

Production

unknown to February 22, 1897 (day approximate)

The object was produced by Unknown member(s) of the Emada in Benin City.

Looted

February 19, 1897 (day approximate) to June 1899 (month approximate)

The object was looted by Unknown member of the British colonial military campaign on Benin - February 1897 from Benin Kingdom.

Auction

November 23, 1930

The object was auctioned to the Wellcome Collection, London Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine and Henry Solomon Wellcome through Stevens Auction Rooms and Harry Stow in London.

Gift

1965

The object was given as a gift by Wellcome Trust to the Fowler Museum at UCLA from London to Los Angeles.

Institution data

Fowler Museum at UCLA

The data was transferred directly by the institution.

Last updated: 2021-07-30

Language: english

Institution field	Value
Object ID object id	X65.9032
description description
Materials material	WOOD
Dimensions dimensions	H: 29.21 cm, W: 105.41 cm
Object Name object type	PANEL
Date date made	11/23/30
Geographical area production place	BENIN CITY, SOUTH NIGERIA
Party prior source	Stevens' Auction Rooms Ltd., Harry Stow, Sir Henry Wellcome, Wellcome Trust
Evidence 1 provenance
Evidence 2 provenance
Country Culture ethnic attribution
Culture Group ethnic attribution
Party Notes notes
summary of curatorial notes archival research thus far summer 2021 notes
status legal status
Old Numbers object id	182182A or 182162A (difficult to read), R759/1937
Party Lot Number	226
provenance list known dates provenance

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