Context (Field collection)
Presumed taken on the British Colonial Military Campaign on Benin, February 1897. There is no information on how Clarke acquired this object, but given that such objects on the market in the early twentieth century reached Britain through the Expedition, and the likely sale room or auction acquisition, this is presumed to be the most likely route.
Event Date 1897
Author: rachel hand

---

Context (Related Documents)
Correspondence between Major C.T. Lawrence, Exhibition Commissioner for the Nigeria pavilion at the British Empire Exhibition, Wembley, 1924, clarifies that Clarke was ‘in a position to loan or obtain the loan of 4 Bronze Benin Heads and an ivory mask’ for the Benin display.
Major C.T. Lawrence to L.C.G. Clarke, 29 October 1923, MAA letter boxe (1923)

Event Date 29/10/1923
Author: rachel hand

---

Context (Display)
Lent by Louis Clarke for exhibition in the Nigerian Pavilion at the British Empire Exhibition, Wembley Park, London, 23 April 1924 to 31 October 1925. The Nigerian Pavilion featured Nigerian artists as living displays, historic material and a replica altar from the Oba, Aiguobasinwin Ovonramwen, Eweka II, which featured painted wooden representations of the original bronze and ivory artworks.

Event Date 23/4/1924
Author: Katrina Dring

---

Context (Related Documents)
Register notes 'Fine bronze mask. Clarke Gift. See index card. Exhibited: Wembley Exhibition 1924.'

Event Date 1925
Author: Katrina Dring

---

Context (Amendments / updates)
Catalogue card reads, in black ink: "25.67 | Benin / West Africa / Human mask of bronze, the pupils of eyes formed by an iron nail. Three tribal marks over each eye. Tattooing down nose - no ears. Reticulated head-dress similar to mask on PL: 21 fig 126 of Pitt Rivers' Antique Works of Art from Benin. Choker round neck. /
Exhibited by donor at Empire Exhibition, Wembley 1924."
Red circular sticker in bottom right corner of card.
Event Date 1925
Author: Katrina Dring

---

Context (References)
Catalogue card reads "Reticulated headdress similar to mask on Pl.21, fig 126, of Pitt Rivers Antique Works of Art from Benin"

Event Date 8/6/2000
Author: maa

---

Description (Physical description)
Catalogue card notes: "Human mask of bronze, the pupils of eyes formed by an iron nail. Three tribal marks over each eye. Tattooing down nose, no ears. Reticulated headdress. Choker round neck"
Event Date 8/6/2000
Author: maa

---

Context (Analysis)
In January 2017, Prof. Marcos Martinon-Torres and Agnese Benzonelli, UCL Institute of Archaeology, tested this idno using a portable XRF as part of a programme of base metal analysis of Benin material. This object was tested three times and the results are as follows: 1) Cu: 76.20%; Zn: 18.29%; Sn: 1.41%; Pb: 3.11%. 2) Cu: 77.92%; Zn: 15.86%; Sn: 1.68%; Pb: 3.24%. 3) Cu: 78.63%; Zn: 14.44%; Sn: 1.57%; Pb: 3.32%. It was noted as having moderate Zn and low but notable Sn and Pb.

Possibly dated to 1550-1610 though this could be a random result of recycling.

Event Date 27/1/2017
Author: Eleanor Wilkinson

---

Conservation (Remedial)
CON.2017.3718 | Remedial
Event Date 6/2/2017
Author: Kirstie Williams

---

Context (Amendments / updates)
Photograph taken during the 2000-2001 Shorts Project attached to rear of catalogue card.
Annotated on rear with year and negative number '[2001].42'.
Event Date 19/8/2020
Author: Katrina Dring

---

Context (Amendments / updates)
The card and register reference to 'Benin' may refer to the wider historical Kingdom of Benin or Benin City, so both have been included with queries
Event Date 15/10/2021
Author: rachel hand

---

Context (Amendments / updates)
Presumed to have been acquired in the attack on Benin City by British forces in 1897.
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.
This replaces the previous phrase '?Benin Expedition' and the queries have been removed.
Queries have also been removed from the place field and the terms 'Kingdom of Benin' and 'Benin City'.
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

---

Description (Physical description)
Uhunmwu-Ẹkuẹ. Bronze pendent mask, also known as a hip-pendant, depicting a male human head wearing a coral headdress and neck ornament, with three vertical scarification marks above each eye, and diagonal cross-hatching, possibly tattoos or scarification on the nose. Pupils of eyes formed by an iron nail. A series of eyelets around the edge of the face would enable small crotal bells to be attached.
Event Date 27/3/2023
Author: Rachel Hand

---

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

---

Context (Other)
One of 99 objects on deposit from the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Nigeria (pending a physical return to Nigeria).
Event Date 27/1/2026
Author: Jan-Henrik Hartung