Ivbiotọ (trophy heads) are believed to represent the decapitated heads of former Benin vassals who rebelled against the Ọba. When a rebel vassal was defeated, his head was removed and brought to Benin in an Ẹkpoki. The Ọba then sent it to the Igun Ẹronmwon, where bronze replicas were made. The three Udari, or suborbital markings, indicate that the image is that of a non-Benin male. Based on a conversation with Chief Ihama in 1976, Ben-Amos (1995) argued that these heads represent decapitated kings. The Ọba kept one of the cast heads in the palace, while the other was sent to the son of the rebel vassal to remind him of his father’s fate should he choose to rebel. According to Chief Inneh, such heads were placed on ancestor shrines, whereas Nevadomsky (1986) suggested they were placed on the shrine of war, the Aro-Okuo.
Source: Omorogbe, Aigbe. Ivbiotọ, Bronze-cast(lost-wax), Private collection, Benin city
High Poly Model attached.
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