Page 104 - Works of Art from Benin-Nigeria- West Africa

Antique Works of Art from Benin, 87

333 to 335. Round execution block ;ind stand of wood, carved
Figs. elaborately
with of men and animals. On the is a of
figures top pointed spike wood,
5 inches in on which the head of the victim
height, appears to have rested,
and below this on the surface at the top of the block are two receptacles for
the thumbs of the victim, in the form of coiled mud-fish. The ornamen-
tation on the consists of and filled with
top squares triangles parallel
straight lines alternating in direction, and edged with a circle of broken
On the sides are three human two of which are
guilloche pattern. figures,
hands and
holding upwards, weapons shields, and one a curved sword of
downwards. Between these are two boxes or
European form, point figures
stools ; there are also two human hands and other objects on the other side.
The bottom of the block is surrounded by a broad guilloche pattern of four-
or five strands. The stand 011 which the block stands is of semicircular
form. The top is ornamented with two animals, resembling crocodiles,
conforming to the outline of the curve, and other animals and objects. On
the front of this stand is a row of in the centre, of a
objects, consisting,
human figure holding something on the abdomen, human hands, animals'
heads, and other objects. A very similar execution block, but without
stand, is shown in Figs. 258 to 260, Plate XXXIV. The barbarous carving
and ornamentation of such gruesome objects is quite characteristic of
Benin art.