手镯：鳄鱼头 - 美国大都会艺术博物馆展品查阅

品名（中）	手镯：鳄鱼头
品名（英）	Bracelet: Crocodile Heads
入馆年号	1991年，1991.17.80
策展部门	迈克尔·洛克菲勒之翼（The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing）
创作者
创作年份	公元 1600 - 公元 1897
创作地区	尼日利亚, 贝宁（Nigeria, Court of Benin）
分类	金属装饰品（Metal-Ornaments）
尺寸	高 5 1/4 × 宽 3 3/8 × 深 3 3/8 英寸 (13.3 × 8.6 × 8.6 厘米)
介绍（中）	奥巴人和贝宁酋长在宫廷庆典上佩戴一对华丽的手镯。这些长而圆柱形的袖扣状装饰物可能由象牙或黄铜制成，并展示反映其持有者崇高地位的图像切割的、交叉阴影的半椭圆形和虚线的螺旋带，设置在凸起的、有条纹的边界内，两端终止于细长的鳄鱼头。艺术家非常小心地唤起了这些动物的外表和性格。鼻子上的垂直线条，以及前额上的一排排凸起，暗示着鳄鱼皮的独特纹理，而瞳孔对比鲜明的闭目则唤起了这种危险动物警惕的凝视。与其他形式的水上图像一样，对鳄鱼的描绘将统治者与海洋之神奥洛昆联系在一起。海洋被认为是贝宁王国财富和繁荣的主要来源，贝宁王国受益于与葡萄牙和其他欧洲大国的海外贸易。这是一个深不可测的领域，也是统治者巨大而隐蔽的权力的隐喻这些手镯的表面覆盖着一层薄薄的金，这是宫廷传统中罕见的特征，很少使用这种贵金属。目前尚不清楚镀金技术是何时，甚至是否被引入贝宁的黄铜厂的。一些学者认为，一位常驻的欧洲工匠可能负责在法庭上为这些物品和其他物品镀金这只手镯是1991.17.81的一对。
介绍（英）	The oba and chiefs of Benin wear pairs of ornate bracelets at palace festivals. Long and cylindrical, these cufflike ornaments may be made of either ivory or brass and display imagery reflecting the exalted status of their bearers. The spiral bands of incised, crosshatched half-ovals and dotted lines, set within raised, striated borders, terminate at either end in elongated crocodile heads. The artist has taken great care to evoke the appearance and character of these animals. Perpendicular lines along the snouts, as well as rows of bumps on the forehead, suggest the distinctive texture of crocodile skin, while the close-set eyes with contrasting pupils evoke the watchful gaze of this dangerous animal. The depictions of crocodiles, as with other forms of aquatic imagery, associates the ruler with Olokun, god of the sea. The ocean was conceived of as a major source of wealth and prosperity for the Benin kingdom, which benefited from overseas trade with Portugal and other European powers. A realm of unfathomable depths, it also served as a metaphor for the vast, hidden powers of the ruler. The surfaces of these bracelets are covered with a thin layer of gold, an unusual feature within a courtly tradition that rarely employed this precious metal. It is unclear when, or even if, the technique of gilding was introduced to Benin's brasscasters. Some scholars have suggested that a resident European craftsman may have been responsible for gilding these and other items at the court. This bracelet is a pair with 1991.17.81.