[img]http://static1.akpool.de/images/cards/62/620310.jpg[/img]

I got the image from this site (I couldn't find a better source):

http://www.akpool.co.uk/postcards/24334492-postcard-abomey-dahomey-benin-bas-reliefs-im-koenigspalast-fisch-kopf

PhysicsQED:

Oh, so you were the one sending me the PMs! I was wondering who it was.

No, I haven't read them because the emails from NL don't seem to be showing up in my inbox or my junk mail. I was asking the mods what I could do about this in the complaints thread in the politics section, but I didn't get a solution.

Anyway, if it's not too personal/private, what is it that you wanted to send me a message about?

Acshually sir, it is veeeery private

[img]http://raai.library.yale.edu/web/art/3/6/18762_images_image_3614_image.jpg[/img]

Publication: 1863. Répin, M. Le Dr. "Voyage au Dahomey / 1860?? Texte et dessins inédite." Le Tour du Monde: Nouveau journal des Voyages, Vol. VII, No. 162.

Original language: French

Caption translation: UTENSILS AND INSTRUMENTS. [top row, L to R]: Orchestra gourd (P. 91); Cambodé bell; Orchestra bells (P. 91) [bottom row L to R]: Sculpted stool (P. 90); War drum (P. 91); Sculpted wooden urn or vase.

Text translation: “We went to greet the king, who stood up in a show of politeness. At the head of the line marched thirty or so musicians. Some were blowing into the tusks of elephants pierced at the small end and producing a raspy sound comparable to that of a shepherd's horn; the others were beating some types of drums made from deerskin stretched over a block of wood hollowed out like a mortar; the latter shook a bizarre instrument that I have never seen; it is an emptied calabash, dried and enveloped by a very loose net in which each node holds a sheep vertebra. Others still were beating bells similar to those that hang on the neck of cows in certain provinces in France with tiny iron rods .” (p. 91)

Illustration technique: studio engraving

Publication page: 92

Keywords:
• République du Bénin (Country, region, place)
• Dahomey (Country, region, place)
• metal ? (Materials and techniques)
• duck (Notable features)
• dog (Notable features)
• figurated finial (Notable features)
• gong (Object name, type)
• bell (Object name, type)
• Fon (Style, culture group)

Ishilove:
Acshually sir, it is veeeery private

I see.

Well I'll make a new email account, change my NL email account from the current one to that new email account, and then you can try sending me the message again. Give me 10 to 15 minutes, before resending the message.

[img]http://raai.library.yale.edu/web/art/6/7/39547_images_image_6769_medium.jpg[/img]

Publication: June 16, 1907. "Nos Gravures." Le Petit Parisien. Supplément littéraire illustré, Vol. 19th year, No. 958.

Original language: French

Caption translation: In Dahomey - Fetish Dance of the Stilt-Walkers.

Text translation: Our Engravings. […] In his notes, Captain Plé gives an account of his feeling of indescribable joy, especially after arriving in Méko. He was welcomed with all the ceremonial pomp. Our engraving shows one of these moments, the dance of the fetishist-stilt-walkers. Raised up on tall, bamboo stilts, dressed in crude – but striking – clothes, wearing straw pants and a tall hat on their head with their face veiled, they move about, charging into the crowd, which backs up after each rush forward, motioning toward, hurling insults at, and taunting the fetishist-stilt-walkers. This fetish dance is, apparently, the expression of a communal joy that is shown on the occasion of a fortunate event.

Illustrator: Paul Dufresne (?), Laurevs, Sc (LR), [engraver] Paul Dufresne (?) (LR)

Illustration technique: color field engraving

Publication page: 192

Publication plate/figure: plate

Keywords:
• Dahomey (Country, region, place)
• Mako (Country, region, place)
• masquerade (Notable features)
• stilts (Notable features)
• face cover (Object name, type)
• headdress (Object name, type)
• mask (Object name, type)
• Fon (Style, culture group)

@ Ishilove, I've changed the email account for my NL username now. Try sending the PM again.

PhysicsQED:

I see.

Well I'll make a new email account, change my NL email account from the current one to that new email account, and then you can try sending me the message again. Give me 10 to 15 minutes, before resending the message.

Hokay sir

PhysicsQED: @ Ishilove, I've changed the email account for my NL username now. Try sending the PM again.

Yessir!

[img]http://raai.library.yale.edu/web/art/1/4/35814_images_image_1422_medium.jpg[/img]

Publication: 1894. Delafosse, Maurice. "Le trône de Béhanzin et les portes des palais d'Abomé au Musée Ethnographique du Trocadéro." La Nature. Revue des sciences et de leurs applications aux arts et à l'industrie, Vol. 22, No. 1090.

Original language: French

Caption translation: 2. Carved wooden door from an Abomey palace. 3. Other carved wooden door carved from an Abomey palace. (These doors are currently on exhibit at the Musée Ethnographique du Trocadéro in Paris.)

Text translation: “The gates taken from the palaces of Abomé are no less curious. They are four in number; two are absolutely identical; on the other two, one notes only minor differences. Each is around 1.50m tall, which indicated that one had to stoop to enter the palaces of Abomé. They show two panels of equal size and are made up of three or five, vertically juxtaposed. The whole is enclosed in a sort of sculpted frame. The corners were protected by plates of copper of which several have unfortunately disappeared, not in Dahomey, but since the gates have been exposed to the Parisian public. What is most interesting are the reliefs that have been stuck to these gates. They are analogous representations to those found on the frescoes or bas-reliefs in many Dahomeyan temples or palaces, and of which La Nature published some examples in one of its recent editions. Dr. Répin, in a journey tp Dahomey he made in 1860, signals the presence, on the walls of a temple in Cana, of frescoes representing a serpent, a ship and a hangman having just beheaded a captive (*). […] The objects represented on the gates exposed at the Trocadéro, like all the subjects of Dahomeyan paintings and bas-reliefs, can be split into three distinct categories. The first category comprises real objects: animals, utensils, weapons. Thus we find on one of the gates reproduced opposite (fig. 2), frogs, an elephant, a horse, a dog, an antelope, with a sword, two puzzles (?) and a rifle; on the other gate (fog. 3), one can see shells, two short swords, a puzzle and two rifles […] The second category comprises subjects relating to the history and the kings of Dahomey. In the frescoes and bas-reliefs they are veritable scenes. On the gates we find the kings’ symbols. On the first gate, can only be seen the red cock with black wings, symbol of King Guézo, which suggests that this gate was made in that king’s reign and predates the other. Its counterpart displays a fairly well-executed lion, symbol of King Guélélé; furthermore, three scepters are shown topped respectively by a ram’s head, a cock and a shark. The latter two evidently represent Guézo and Béhanzin’s scepters. The first must be that of Tegbouésoun or Bossa-Ahadi, who ruled from 1720 to 1775, and whose symbolic name was Agbo, which means the Ram. Finally, the third category is that of religious symbols. And, on this topic, I think it would be useful to say here a few words on the Dahomeyan religion. (p.258) "Such is Ayidoouédo, the spirit of the rainbow, the messenger of Lisa and Maoun, who incarnates himself in the chameleon: this symbol can be seen represented on one of the gates (fig. 3), in the form of a chameleon linked to the sun and the crescent moon by a double cable. Such also is Dangbé, who takes the form of a serpent, and whose worship is so popular at Guida; he also figures on the gates which illustrate this Notice (fig. 3). Such also are the hearth spirit, which is incarnated in certain trees, and the guardian spirit of the kings; who takes the form of the leopard. […] I have every reason to believe that the bizarre figure sculpted above an antelope on the lower panel of one of the gates (fig. 2), and which must represent a mask made up of a nose and two eyes, is the symbol of Afa: the priests of this vodoun, indeed, often cover their faces with a similar mask, when they prepare to consult the oracle." (pp. 329-330) *[f/n: Dr. Répin, Voyage au Dahomey. (Tour du Monde, 1863, 1st semester)]

Illustrator: Dietrich Dietrich, signed

Illustration technique: studio engraving

Publication page: 329

Publication plate/figure: figures 2-3

Keywords:
• Abomey (Country, region, place)
• Benin Republic (Country, region, place)
• Dahomey (Country, region, place)
• carved wood (Materials and techniques)
• relief (Materials and techniques)
• chameleon (Notable features)
• dog (Notable features)
• elephant (Notable features)
• lion (Notable features)
• saber (Notable features)
• weapons (Notable features)
• animals (Notable features)
• royal insignia (Notable features)
• serpent (Notable features)
• palace doors (Object name, type)
• panels (Object name, type)
• Fon (Style, culture group)

Mr Physics, I've resent it.

Alright, I've responded.

PhysicsMHD: Alright, I've responded.

Seen

Behanzin, Dahomey

L'Almamy Samory Toure


His empire, covering some part of Guinea, Mali, CIV until the extreme east of Ghana


http://bricabraquepremiere..com/2009/07/les-resistances-africaines-la-conquete.html

Sunni Ali Ber, King of Songhai Empire (from 1464-1492)



Extension of his Empire
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/SONGHAI_empire_map.PNG/300px-SONGHAI_empire_map.PNG[/img]

Bas-reliefs on the palace of Behanzin in Dahomey.

I got this image from a site that shows old postcards, but I couldn't find an exact date.

Found this on the University of Southern California's Digital Library website. Here's some information on the picture:

Title: Man and bas-reliefs on walls of royal palace, Abomey, Benin, ca. 1925-26.

Description: "Bas-reliefs on Palace walls." Bas-relief showing an Amazon warrior with prisoner.; From a set of lantern slides entitled "Dahomey, the stronghold of the fetich" compiled by Frank Deaville Walker (1878-1945), editor of the Methodist Missionary Society magazines Foreign Field and its successor, Kingdom Overseas. Many of the photographs Walker used were his own, taken on visits to the MMS mission fields between 1920 and 1937. His trip to West Africa when the photographs in this set were taken took place ca. 1925-1926.

Geographic subject (city or populated place): Abomey
Geographic subject (country): Benin
Photographer: Walker, Frank Deaville

Another image from the University of Southern California's Digital Library website. This is the information for the picture:

Title: Ruins of royal apartments at the palace in Abomey, Benin, ca. 1925-26.

Description: "Ruins of the King's Apartment." Former royal apartments in the ruined palace at Abomey.; From a set of lantern slides entitled "Dahomey, the stronghold of the fetich" compiled by Frank Deaville Walker (1878-1945), editor of the Methodist Missionary Society magazines Foreign Field and its successor, Kingdom Overseas. Many of the photographs Walker used were his own, taken on visits to the MMS mission fields between 1920 and 1937. His trip to West Africa when the photographs in this set were taken took place ca. 1925-1926.

Geographic subject (city or populated place): Abomey
Geographic subject (country): Benin
Photographer: Walker, Frank Deaville
Publisher (of the digital version): University of Southern California. Libraries

This is the description I came across for this image on the site where I found it:

"Dahomey (modern Benin) - The ruins of royal apartments at the King's Palace destroyed by cannonballs at Abomey."

Another site gives the date for this image as "circa 1910s" and another site mentions that it is from the "E. Besson collection." Not sure who Besson is, but obviously this photograph is from his collection.

I also found a larger image from a French website "delcampe.fr" which seems to sell old postcards, among other things:

Here are two larger images of this same photograph that I found on a French postcard website:






This image is also from that "E. Besson" collection and the caption is: "Dahomey - Vue intérieure du Palais de Behanzin à Abomey."

A larger image from the same French postcard website as before:



Also from that "E. Besson collection" and I'm assuming its from around the same time as the other photos (circa 1910s/early 1900s). The caption is "Dahomey - Un coin de l'enceinte du Palais de Behanzin à Abomey" for anyone who can translate that.

Another image from that postcard website.

Sybellah: Behanzin, Dahomey

Why was that little boy at the far right always scowling?

This is an image of one of the carved wooden doors from the old Abomey palace that was mentioned above, except in color:

Ishilove:
Why was that little boy at the far right always scowling?

Maybe he was playing and they interrupted his play time and forced him to take that picture.

PhysicsQED:

Sort of reminds me of Stonehenge

[img]http://raai.library.yale.edu/web/art/5/2/99076_images_image_5210_medium.jpg[/img]

Publication: 1908. Frazer, J.G. "Statues of Three Kings of Dahomey." MAN: A Monthly Record of Anthropological Science., Vol. VIII, No. 73.

Text: “On a recent visit to Paris I was struck by three life-size wooden statues in the Trocadero Museum, which represent three kings of Dahomey—Guexo, Guelelé, and Behanzin—all more or less completely in the form of animals. Through the courtsey and kindness of Dr. Verneau, Director of the Museum, I am able to communicate to Man an excellent photograph of these statues, and another photograph of a throne which belonged to one of the three kings. It is not the first time that these curious figures have been published. They were the subject of an illustrated article by M. Delafosse which appeared in ‘La Nature, No. 1,086, for March 24th, 1894 (pp. 262-266), and to which Dr. Verneau kindly called my attention. The following account of the statues translted from that article may be of interest to readers of Man:--“These statues are, in fact, symbolical, each of the kings is represented under the figure of an animal which he has chosen for his emblem and of which he bears the name. Guezo, surnamed ‘Kohoulo’, that is to say ‘the cock,’ is represented under the form of a man covered with feathers; Guelelé, called ‘Kinikini,’ ‘the lion,’ is figured by a lion rampant; and lastly, Behanzin, whose surname is ‘Gbowlé,’ which means ‘shark,’ has the shape of a dog-fish graced with two arms supported by human legs…The three statues have the arms in the same position, which is that of a boxer preparing to attack—the left fore-arm horizontal, the right fore-arm raised. This combative attitude was formerly emphasized by a weapon in each hand; the holes which must have served to fix the swords may still be seen. Guezo still brandished in his right hand a Dahomey sword, broad and short. He wears at his back an iron cartridge-pouch, supported by a belt of the same metal, and above the feft elbow he has an iron bracelet. Guelelé wears a similar cartridge-pouch, only in front. Behanzin had one also; the nails which fastened it may still be seen…Of these kings, Guezo reigned from 1818 to 1858; his son, Guelelé, reigned from 1858 to 1889; and Guelelé’s son, Behanzin, reigned from 1889 till he was expelled by the French…These statues seem to prove that kings of Dahomey habitually posed as certain fierce animals or birds. The custom deserves to be studied, and may perhaps throw light on such legends as the Minotaur, the serpent of Erechtheus, and so forth. Whatever these animal symbols of the kings of Dahomey may have been, they cannot have been totems of hereditary in the male line, since they differed in these successive generations traced from father to son.” (pp. 131-132)

Illustration technique: b/w context photograph

Keywords:
• Dahomey (Country, region, place)
• carved wood (Materials and techniques)
• cock (Notable features)
• Glele (Notable features)
• Guezo (Notable features)
• shark (Notable features)
• Behanzin (Notable features)
• lion (Notable features)
• royal emblem (Object name, type)
• sculpture (Object name, type)
• standing figure (Object name, type)
• bocio (Object name, type)
• statue (Object name, type)
• Fon (Style, culture group)

[img]http://raai.library.yale.edu/web/art/5/14671_images_image_547_medium.jpg[/img]

Publication: 1919. Luschan, Felix von. Die Altertümer von Benin; mit 889 Abbildungen nach Zeichnungen von B. Ankermann, G. Kilz, L. Sütterlin u.a., sowie nach Photographien usw., hrsg. mit Unterstützung des Reichs-Kolonialministeriums, der Rudolf Virchow- und der Arthur Baessler-Stiftung.

Original language: German

Caption translation: Three almost lifesize, painted wood figures of the Kings Geso, Glé-glé and Behanzin from Dahome; Gift of General Dodds to the Museum in Trocadero

Text translation: "With the final defeat of the Béhanzins, these very peculiar figures fell into the hands of the victor, General Dodds (1), who gave it to the Museum at Trocadéro. Thanks to the kindly permission of my colleague, Hamy, who has since then passed away, I was allowed to have them photographed for this book and can reproduce them here in Fig. 436. (1) [footnote]: In Germany and strangely enough also among the negroes in the United States, it is not generally known, that this excellent and highly talented general, to whom the French owe the conquest of Dahome, at which his white predecessors had failed for years, that this general, himself had colored blood: his mother was a colored woman from St. Louis in Senegal. It appears to me to be just towards the negroes and otherwise not entirely pointless, this fact, which only appears in the older French colony. Dodds was born in 1842 in Senegal; a good picture of him is located at Brunet und Siffert, Section de Dahomey, Expos. Univ. 1900, S. 101."

Illustration technique: b/w studio photograph

Publication page: 291

Publication plate/figure: abb. 436

Keywords:
• Dahomey (Country, region, place)
• carved wood (Materials and techniques)
• cock (Notable features)
• Glele (Notable features)
• Guezo (Notable features)
• lion (Notable features)
• shark (Notable features)
• Behanzin (Notable features)
• royal emblem (Object name, type)
• sculpture (Object name, type)
• standing figure (Object name, type)
• bocio (Object name, type)
• lifesized statue (Object name, type)
• Fon (Style, culture group)

On the previous page I posted an old image of a throne of a Dahomean king that was in black and white. Below are photographs of two of the thrones of past kings in color.

The throne of king Béhanzin of Dahomey:





The throne of king Glele of Dahomey:

Sybellah: Sunni Ali Ber, King of Songhai Empire (from 1464-1492)



Extension of his Empire
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/SONGHAI_empire_map.PNG/300px-SONGHAI_empire_map.PNG[/img]

Wow...a face to the legendary name...

I wonder if they didn't feel hot beneath those yards of heavy cloth...

^^
I'm pretty sure the face there is an artist's later rendition, not a drawing made by someone who actually saw him.

I came across two sources for anyone who wants to read more about Dahomey's history and buildings:

http://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/pdf_publications/palace_abomey.html

These 5 pdfs below are part of a larger single document:

http://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/pdf_publications/pdf/palace1.pdf

http://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/pdf_publications/pdf/palace2.pdf

http://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/pdf_publications/pdf/palace3.pdf

http://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/pdf_publications/pdf/palace4.pdf

http://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/pdf_publications/pdf/palace5.pdf


A different publication from that same site (the Getty Conservation Institute) about Dahomean buildings, except in French instead of English:

http://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/pdf_publications/passe_present_abomey.html