Sujet

War trophies taken from the army of the King of Dahomey at Abbeokuta, 1864. Creator: Unknown.

Légende

War trophies taken from the army of the King of Dahomey at Abbeokuta, 1864. Items taken after '...the King of Dahomey's army, reckoned at from ten to fourteen thousand warriors, of whom two thousand were women, suffered a disastrous repulse [by the Egba people] from the walls of Abbeokuta...In the advancing column were Amazons [ie female soldiers], who fought bravely and desperately...[However,] the Dahomians were utterly defeated... The [objects] came out of a box full of trophies of the victory sent by the Rev. H. Townsend, an English missionary at Abbeokuta, to his brother, Mr. George Townsend, who has made a drawing of them for our use. 1. Decapitating-knife, resembling a huge razor, in length about 40 in. It is made to shut like an ordinary razor, and when used, kept tight by a spring. 2. Large wooden drum. This instrument is fluted, and has been split through its entire length in order to discover if it contained charms. Length about 40 in. 3. Cartridge belt, made of skin, and worn by the Amazon round the waist. 4. Dahomian three-legged stool stained with human blood'. From "Illustrated London News", 1864.

Crédit

Photo12/Heritage Images/The Print Collector

Notre référence

HRM24A26_119

Model release

NA

Property release

NA

Licence

Droits gérés

Format disponible

11,3Mo (924,7Ko) / 21,9cm x 13,0cm / 2583 x 1535 (300dpi)

Mots clés

Africa music arts art drum continent British weapon weapons color African war location century musical instrument musical instruments Britain trophies trophy newspapers press print artefacts blade furniture artefact concept knife stool artifacts artifact B&W metaphor warfare engraved engraving loot Colour percussion instrument 19th century booty black & white black and white B W weaponry white and black nineteenth century The Print Collector Illustrated London News spoils of war West African ILN cartridge belt newspaper Unknown 19th-century