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Male Warrior Figure (LNB Industry)

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Figure: Male Warrior
The figure, which is currently kept in the MET.
MaterialBrass, Clay, Teeth, Glass Beads.
Sizeheight: 31.8 cm (12.5 in)
width: 22.2cm (8.75 in)
depth: 17.1 cm (6.75 in)
Created15th/16th century[1]
Present locationMET, New York
Registration1977.173
CultureLower Niger Bronze Industries

This depiction of a standing warrior belongs to a Lower Niger Bronze Industry. He stands, wearing an asymmetrical skirt, a leopard's-tooth necklace and a Bell necklace, which would have intimidated enemies and protected the wearer in combat. His left hand wraps around a (now broken) sword, his right carries a rectilinear shield; holes in the center and heel of his feet indicate he may have originally been connected to a larger structure; the top of his face bears marks of Scarification,[1] and he additionally wears a bead cap and necklace.[2]

Cultural Origins

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Though his garb is clearly similar to that worn by Benin warriors depicted in the famous Benin Bronzes, the style of this piece (such as the "vigorous" gestures and upward-sweeping loincloth) are uncommon in Benin art. This, combined with the "rustic" style suggest it belongs to a separate artistic tradition, which is currently grouped with the "basket" Lower Niger Bronze Industries, perhaps also indicating the widespread nature of such cultural traits; it is tentatively suggested to belong to a hybrid Yoruba-Benin culture.[2] The piece is cast bronze.[2]

Lower Niger Bronze Industries

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The Lower Niger Bronze Industries encompass the works produced by multiple distinct cultural traditions, bound primarily by geographic location in the Lower Niger.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Figure: Male Warrior". Metmuseum. Met MUseum Publications.
  2. ^ a b c Newton, Douglas (1989). The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Vol. 12, The Pacific Islands, Africa, and the Americas. New York, N.Y.: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 89.