Ritual Bell

Feb 26

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A bell photographed from a high angle. It is made from bronze and has darkened with age. On the bell bottom there are raised markings in groups of three. Around the handle at the top is a label that says 'Ritual bell; Benin City, Nigeria'

Circular dome-shaped bronze bell without a clapper, perhaps rung by being struck on the side. There are a few simple projections as decoration, mostly protruding triangles. There is a simple handle on top of the dome. Attached to the handle is a small white tag with “RITUAL BELL BENIN CITY NIGERIA” written on one side, on the other '(GBP) 35 A.O26'. Under the dome are two very small white rectangular stickers, one of which reads '(GBP) 35' and the other 'B4'.

How was this made?

The royal city of Benin located in modern day Edo State, Nigeria developed the artisan skill of bronze making using lost wax casting technique. Ellen G. Howe, Conservator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, explains:

“In traditional lost wax casting, also known as cire-perdue, a model, sometimes with a clay core, is created out of wax and then coated with a fine layer of clay known as "investment." More layers of courser clay are applied on top to create the mother mold.

When the mold is heated, the wax is melted out, leaving a cavity into which the molten metal is poured. To retrieve the cast metal object, the mold is broken away and the surface is cleaned.”