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Pitt Rivers Museum

1979.8.1

Wooden stool with four legs and flat rectangular top. Carved with human figures and abstract designs.


1979.8.1

Digital asset copyright: Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford

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Collection type
Object
Description
Wooden stool with four legs and flat rectangular top. Carved with human figures and abstract designs.
Long description
Carved wooden stool with flat rectangular top and four rectangular legs. The wood is carved all over with human figures holding swords and tools and abstract designs including interlacing ribbonwork. The legs are connected by carved wooden bow-shaped strips holding circular mirrors. The seat is fixed onto the legs by round-headed nails and iron brackets underneath. [JC [OPS move] 19/5/2017]
Geographical reference
Benin City
Cultural groups
Edo
Person
Field collector Reginald Kerr Granville
PRM source John Granville
Date / Period
Date made: Circa by 1897-1898
Date collected
circa 1897- 1898
Acquisition information
Purchased: 06/1979
Materials and processes
Material Wood Plant, Material Tin Metal, Material Iron Metal, Material Glass, Process Carved, Process Nailed
Dimensions
Height: max 424 mm, Width: max 336 mm, Length: max 653 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1979.8.1
Research and responses

Granville's diaries for 1898 and 1899 are held in the PRM Archive: Pitt Rivers Manuscript Collection, Nevis Papers, Box 1, Items 1 & 2. There are many references to looting in the King's Compound, Benin City, however no direct mention of this object.

Not listed in Philip J. C. Dark, An Illustrated Catalogue of Benin Art, Boston, MA: G. K. Hall, 1982. [JC 31 7 1997]

Search terms: Furniture Dwelling, Figure, Stool

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