Nigeria
Benin

Bronze
Prior 20th century
Height: 7cm / Lenght: 5cm / Width: 5cm
Idiophone – Struck Directly

In pre-colonial times, warriors used to wear smaller bells around their necks and on their tunic. The sound of these bells during conflicts would sometimes frighten the enemy, as the sound of the bells suggested the protective presence of the ancestors. (Ben-Amos 1980) These bells would also announce the victories as they returned home. Field collected tribal artifacts.