Context (Related Documents)
Catalogue card reads, in blue biro: "1902. E 94 | AFRICA | WEST AFRICA / NIGERIA / A bronze cast of a human head with negro features with a circular opening (?tusk stand) having a pointer reticulated head dress of coral or agate and a coral choker. (Badge of rank) Branch of coral hand down on both sides in front of the ear, as well as round the back of the head. The projecting base bears an interlacing design with rope pattern beading. The eyes have iron pupils and three vertical [?ribs] of iron stand across the forehead from near the inner corner of the eyes. There are four tribal marks over each eye. Benin, West Africa Expedition 1897 / Mrs Walter Foster | H.16.5" / R. 1903. 253"

Red circular sticker in top right of card.
Event Date
Author: Katrina Dring

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Context (Field collection)
E 1902.94- 115 are recorded in the Accession Register as acquired on the 'Benin, West Africa 1897 Expedition’ indicating they were taken during the attack by British military on Benin City and Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi’s royal palace


Event Date 1897
Author: Rachel Hand

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Context (Acquisition Details)
E 1902.93- 115 are annotated in the Register as 'B. Stevens *Mrs Walter Foster [Prof Bevan' is crossed out]' indicating they were purchased at an undated 1902 auction at J.C. Stevens saleroom, 38 King Street Covent Garden, London, with money donated to the Museum’s Accessions Fund by Mrs Walter K. Foster who was a generous benefactor to the Museum, and had arranged the Walter K. Foster bequest of prehistoric and Anglo-Saxon material to the Museum.
Event Date 1902
Author: Rachel Hand

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Description (Physical description)
Catalogue card notes: "A bronze cast of a human head with negro features with a circular opening (?tusk stand) having a pointed reticulated headdress of coral or agate and a coral choker. (Badge of rank). Bands of coral hang down on both sides in front of the ear, as well as round the back of the head. The projecting base bears an interlacing design with rope pattern beading. The eyes have iron pupils and three vertical ribs of iron start across the forehead from near the inner corner of the eyes. There are four tribal marks over each eye. Benin West Africa 1897 Expedition"
Event Date 1902
Author: maa

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Context (Acquisition Details)
Accession Register names monetary donor as Mrs Walter Foster. This is Mrs Mary Hichens Foster, wife of antiquarian Walter Kidman Foster and benefactor to the University.

Event Date 1902
Author: maa

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Context (Display)
Exhibited: On display in the free-standing Benin cube case, Maudslay Gallery, CUMAA, 1990-2011.
Label text noted:
2 Commemorative Head
Cast in bronze
Benin
S. Nigeria
Taken 1897 by the Benin Expedition
d. Mrs Walter Foster
E.1902.94'
Event Date 26/9/1990
Author: Katrina Dring

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Context (References)
McKeating, Alison, D. W. Phillipson and Rachel Maclean. Metal In Africa. Cambridge: Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology Cambridge University African Studies Centre, 1996. p.28

Event Date 1996
Author: Remke Velden

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Context (Display)
Presumed displayed as part of "Metal in Africa", an MAA exhibition, held in the Andrews Gallery, 26 September 1996- 28 February 1998
Event Date 27/9/1996
Author: Rachel Hand

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Context (References)
Illustrated in M. Elliott and N. Thomas (2011) Gifts and Discoveries, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge, Scala Publishers with Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, p, 23.


Event Date 2011
Author: Rachel Hand

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Context (Display)
Exhibited. On display in Gifts and Discoveries (25 May 2012 – 16 February 2013), the first special exhibition in MAA’s new Li Ka Shing Gallery. This tells the stories behind some of the outstanding artefacts in the Museum’s collection and traces their journeys to Cambridge
Event Date 25/5/2012
Author: Rachel Hand

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Context (Display)
Exhibited: on loan to Tate Britain for 'Artist and Empire', 23 November 2015- 10 April 2016. [R. vd. Velden]
Event Date 23/11/2015
Author: Katrina Dring

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Conservation (Surface Clean)
CON.2015.1768 | Surface Clean
Event Date 2/7/2015
Author: rah99

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Description (Physical description)
A copper alloy cast of a human head, a Queen Mother.
Be aware that the object is heavy.
Event Date 7/12/2016
Author: maa

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Context (Display)
Exhibited in the Open Storage display of Benin material in Andrews gallery, #5 from 19 July 2016.
The main label noted:
'Objects of remembrance. Commemorative heads of bronze and brass were commissioned by the Oba (king) have been of Benin for shrines dedicated to deceased members of the royal house. They supported elephant tusks, often carved to record important events the heads either represent an Oba or Iyoba (Queen Mother) in ceremonial dress.
This consists of multiple strings of coral jewellery wound around the neck and nets of beads over the head as well as elaborate beaded head ornaments. The pupils of the eyes are formed from the iron rods that were used to support the claim old during casting. The two Iyoba (Queen Mother) heads with peaked hairstyles on the far right and left also have iron strips in their foreheads.’
Individual label noted:
‘Commemorative head of a Queen Mother (Iyoba) Purchased in 1902 at J.C. Stevens Auction Rooms E 1902.94’

Event Date 19/6/2016
Author: Rachel Hand

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Context (Analysis)
In January 2017, Prof. Marcos Martinon-Torres and Agnese Benzonelli, UCL Institute of Archaeology, tested this item using a portable XRF as part of a programme of base metal analysis of Benin material. This object was tested twice and the results are as follows: 1) Cu: 78.12%; Zn: 19.40%; Pb: 1.95%. 2) Cu: 78.20%; Zn: 19.28%; Pb: 1.98%. It was noted this object was classed as Dark 8, Willett 5.
It was dated to post 1700 according to chemistry but possibly a bit earlier according to Dark number.
Event Date 27/1/2017
Author: Eleanor Wilkinson

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Context (Amendments / updates)
The phrase 'British Colonial Military Campaign on Benin' has been added to the source field based on the recommendations of Digital Benin. This explicitly links the object to the capture of Benin City by British Navy Forces and members of the Nigerian Coast Protectorate Forces on 18 February 1897. The maker and artist field has been updated with the 'Igun Eronmwon (royal guild of brass casters)'. (https://digitalbenin.org/provenance/139; accessed 10.3.2023)

Event Date 10/3/2023
Author: Rachel Hand

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Context (Amendments / updates)
One of 17 objects on loan to MAA from National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Nigeria for exhibition and study purposes, until January 2029.
Event Date 27/1/2026
Author: Rachel Hand

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Context (Other owners)
In July 2022, the University of Cambridge agreed to repatriate 116 artefacts, including this object, taken from Benin City by the British military in February 1897. A legal transfer of ownership to the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Nigeria, took place on 27 January 2026.
The source field has been updated accordingly


Event Date 27/1/2026
Author: Jan-Henrik Hartung

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Context (Display)
New free-standing yellow label added to the display case in February 2026 which noted:
‘In July 2022, the University of Cambridge agreed to repatriate 116 artefacts taken from Ben in city by the British military in February 1897. Arrangements are being made to physically return the collection. The artefacts in this case taken during military action are on loan from the National Commission of museums and monuments, Nigeria’.
Event Date 11/2/2026
Author: Rachel Hand