Sale 207 Lot 344

NIGERIAN BENIN EDO ALTAR UHUNMWUN-ELAO HEAD. Benin altar brass or bronze head was also known as a commemorative head or uhunmwun-elao. They were created by Edo artists, specifically those from the Igun Eronwwon (brass-casting guild). These sculptures, often depicting the Oba (king) or chiefs served as representations of royalty and power and were placed on altars to honor ancestors and the lineage of kings. These heads were primarily placed on altars to honor and communicate with the spirits of deceased kings (Obas) and chiefs. The heads represented the power and divinity of the Oba, and their placement on altars symbolized the connection between the living and the spirit world. - Height: 7 inches.
Estimate $400-600