The Apapa Hoard
The Apapa Hoard is an important collection of medieval bronze jewellery discovered at Apapa, near Lagos, Nigeria. Dating to the early 16th century, the hoard has been part of the British Museum's collection since 1930.
Description
The items in the hoard consist entirely of bronze jewellery, including:
- A pair of wire bracelets
- Two bracelets in the form of interlocking animals
- Two staff-mounts with pendant bells
- Two ring-shaped armlets
- A group of bells
- A ring with cascabels
- A breastplate in the shape of a ram's head with pendant bells
The ram's head breastplate is the most prestigious item from the hoard and is considered one of the finest cast bronzes ever found in southern Nigeria.
Discovery
The hoard was discovered by accident in 1907 during the digging of a well at a depth of 3 metres. The jewellery is believed to have been worn by an elite member of a local tribe from the 15th to 16th centuries, and scholars have attributed the collection to the Yoruba Kingdom of Owo.
Soon after its discovery, the hoard was acquired by a private collector and later sold to the British Museum in 1930.
See Also
- Bronze Head from Ife
- Bronze Head of Queen Idia
References
Further Reading
- Mack J (ed), Africa, Arts and Cultures, London, 2005
- Fagg WB, "A Bronze Breastplate from Lagos", British Museum Quarterly, Vol V, 1930
- Fagg WB, Nigerian Images, London: Lund Humphries, 1963