Rattle staff

Description

Rattle staff (ukhurhe), of carved agaba wood, one of a pair, surmounted with a carved human head, partly hollowed below with three vertical slots and a wooden rattle inside, commissioned after the death of a man to represent his spirit, social status and lineage: West Africa, Nigeria, Edo State, Benin, 19th century

Museum reference

A.1931.94

Collection

World Culture

Object name

Rattle staff

Production information

Uhi, Edo State, Nigeria, Western Africa

Date

19th century

Style / Culture

Benin

Materials

Agba wood

Physical description

Carved agba wood, surmounted with a carved human head, partly hollowed below with three vertical slots and decorated with a pattern of straight and wavy lines, below are two mouldings, inside is a rattling bar of wood.

Associations

British Punitive Expedition to Benin City, 1897

Exhibitions

• Performance and Lives (29 Jul 2011)
  National Museum of Scotland

• Man and Music (16 Aug 1983 - 15 Jan 1984)
  Royal Scottish Museum

Links to other web pages

Digital Benin

On display

national museum of scotland »
level 3 »
world cultures, performance and lives »
rw.1a