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Oba Olateru Olagbegi II, the Olowo of Owo, seated beneath carved ivory tusks, Owo, Nigeria

Catalog Data

Photographer:
Elisofon, Eliot  Search this
Collection Photographer:
Elisofon, Eliot  Search this
Extent:
1 Slide (col.)
Culture:
Yoruba (African people)  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Slides
Color slides
Place:
Africa
Nigeria
Date:
1959
Scope and Contents:
"The high value placed on ivory goes back to antiquity and is reflected in mythical accounts of Orunmila's preference for and association with it. Because ivory was such a precious resource, and the preferred material for denoting the status of kings, chiefs, warriors, and diviners, elephant tusks were a commodity controlled by a powerful elite. Within Owo's sphere of influence, elephant hunters retained only one tusk out of every pair of tusks and were required to present the other to the Olowo (the king of Owo)." [Abiodun R., 1989: Yoruba. Harry N. Abrams Inc. Publishers.]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Life magazine and traveled to Africa from August 18, 1959 to December 20, 1959.
Local Numbers:
C 2 YRB 6.2 EE 59
General:
Title is provided by EEPA staff based on photographer's notes.
Local Note:
Time Life no. 58482 1 07
Frame value is 1.
Slide No. C 2 YRB 6.2 EE 59
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
Topic:
Portraits  Search this
Leaders  Search this
Clothing and dress -- Africa  Search this
Beadwork  Search this
Headdresses -- headgear -- Africa  Search this
Regalia  Search this
Animals in art  Search this
Genre/Form:
Color slides
Collection Citation:
Eliot Elisofon Field Collection, EEPA 1973-001, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution
Identifier:
EEPA.1973-001, Item EEPA EECL 2005
See more items in:
Eliot Elisofon Field collection
Eliot Elisofon Field collection / Nigeria
Archival Repository:
Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/xo756560d87-05f9-4afd-9ae5-e306b78df2a6
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-eepa-1973-001-ref11745