The plaques date to the 1500s and 1600s . That period is known as the time of the warrior-kings and is considered to be the golden age of the Benin Kingdom. It was a time of growth and consolidation under famous rulers such as Oba Esigie (about 1504-1550).
What is the context for the Benin plaque?
The plaques show aspects of Benin court life in the sixteenth century, shortly after Europe’s first contact with West Africa. The plaques show how the people of Benin perceived the Portuguese traders and their soldiers , with their pointed noses, thin faces and beards and strange clothes.
What is the content of the Benin wall plaque?
Content: The plaque depicts the King attended by several court attendants . The King is depicted in the center of the plaque, working to emphasize his undisputed power.
Why was the Benin plaque important?
Among the most well-known of the Benin Bronzes are the cast brass plaques which once decorated the Benin royal palace and which provide an important historical record of the Kingdom of Benin. ... The Benin Bronzes are preceded by earlier West African cast brass traditions, dating back into the medieval period.
What was the purpose of the Benin Bronzes?
Bronze and ivory objects had a variety of functions in the ritual and courtly life of the Kingdom of Benin. They were used principally to decorate the royal palace , which contained many bronze works. They were hung on the pillars of the palace by nails punched through them.
What modern day country would Benin be in right now?
| Republic of Benin République du Bénin (French) | Location of Benin (dark green) | Capital Porto-Novo a | Largest city Cotonou | Official languages French |
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Who made the Benin ivory mask?
The Nigerian government was unsuccessful in securing a loan of the work from the British Museum, and commissioned Edo artist Erhabor Emokpae to recreate the mask as a 20-foot tall bronze centerpiece for the festival (on display at the National Arts Theatre since 1979).
What do the decorative brass plaques from Benin tell us about the Obas who commissioned them?
What do the decorative brass plaques from Benin City tell us about the obas who commissioned them? The obas displayed them to illustrate the organization of the Benin City royal society.
What does the leopard symbolize in Benin iconography?
The leopard was once the emblem of power for the exclusive use of the oba or king of Benin, representing triumph of people over the wild . ... It was a symbol of fear as well as a leader in the animal kingdom.
What is Benin art made of?
Primarily made of cast bronze and carved ivory , Benin art was produced mainly for the court of the Oba of Benin – a divine ruler for whom the craftsmen produced a range of ceremonially significant objects.
How was the kingdom of Benin affected by its trade with the Portuguese?
When the Portuguese arrived in Benin, Nigeria, in the fifteenth century, they quickly started trading brass and copper for pepper, cloth, ivory and slaves . ... The number of manillas in circulation increased dramatically from the sixteenth century when they became one of the standard trade currencies.
Why does the Oba in Benin create brass commemorative heads like this one?
Coral is of particular significance to the Edo as a metaphor for the ancestral realm of the sea. The use of brass for commemorative heads dates to the fifteenth century, as a way for the Oranmiyan Dynasty rules to distinguish themselves from the previous dynasty of rules .
When was the Benin plaque made?
The relief brass plaques that used to decorate the Oba’s (king’s) palace are among the most well-known of all the royal arts of Benin. Although frequently described as ‘Benin Bronzes’ most plaques are made of leaded brass in various compositions. It is widely accepted that they date to the 16th-17th centuries .
Who has the Benin Bronzes?
The British government has argued that the Benin Bronzes “properly reside” in the British Museum , which has the largest collection of them in the world – with more than 900 pieces. Hosting the ancient objects in London also ensures they are accessible to the world, the UK authorities say.
Were the Benin Bronzes returned?
A sculpture was handed back to Nigeria by the University of Aberdeen on Thursday after its “extremely immoral” acquisition. The university approved repatriation in March, and a handover ceremony took place on Thursday evening. ...
What can we learn from the art of Benin?
Craft workers in Benin used lots of different materials. People worked with clay, wood and leather . Weavers used fibres from plants to make colourful cloth. The most precious materials were brass, coral and ivory.
Is Benin a rich or poor country?
Benin is a small, mostly rural country on Africa’s west coast. It has nearly 11 million people and around half live on less than a dollar a day. The relatively new nation is among the world’s poorest countries .
What does the Benin ivory mask represent?
The mask is said to represent Idia, mother of Oba Esigie who ruled in the sixteenth century. The top of the hip mask is decorated with heads representing the Portuguese, symbolizing Benin’s alliance with and control over Europeans.
When did Slavery stop in Benin?
The trade largely stopped by the end of the 19th century , but Benin never fully confronted what had happened. The kingdoms that captured and sold slaves still exist today as tribal networks, and so do the groups that were raided.
What is the population of Benin 2021?
The current population of Benin is 12,584,631 as of Thursday, December 16, 2021, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data. Benin 2020 population is estimated at 12,123,200 people at mid year according to UN data. Benin population is equivalent to 0.16% of the total world population.
Why is the Benin ivory mask important?
The pendant mask is believed to have been produced in the early sixteenth century for the King or ObaEsigie, the king of Benin, to honor his mother, Idia . The oba may have worn it at rites commemorating his mother, although today such pendants are worn at annual ceremonies of spiritual renewal and purification.
What does the Benin mask symbolize in imitation?
In the story “Imitation” the imitation Benin mask is a symbol of Nkem’s belief that her marriage is also an imitation . Nkem identifies with the men who once guarded the Benin masks that she and her husband have copies of in their home.
Which two creatures became symbols of the wealth and power of the Oba of Benin?
In Benin, mudfish are a symbol of wealth and power and can be found decorating many royal objects. In this design, the strength and power of the Oba is symbolized by the men who dominate the powerful crocodiles.
Why were the Benin bronzes stolen?
The Benin Bronzes were scattered around the world after 1897
This is the year they were taken from Benin City, during the looting and burning of the capital by British forces seeking to establish imperial rule over the region .
Which symbol represents the Benin peoples ability to communicate with both the living and the spirits?
In between the traders are mudfish . Because these special fish can live both on land and in water, they symbolize the oba’s ability to communicate with both the living and spirit worlds.
Who or what does the Mudfish symbolize in Benin iconography?
The symbolism of the Mudfish in the Benin Culture covers prosperity, peace, fertility, and strength . The display of the Oba’s power over land and water because of his connection to Olokun, the god of water, symbolises the king’s semi-divine power between the spiritual world and the kingdom of Benin.
Why is Benin art referred to as court art?
THE early Benin art was referred to as “Court Art” hence ”Court Art of Benin” This is because the Oba or King of Benin had a monopoly of the art works , though technically speaking, they are all brass. ... The Benin bronze works also bear representations of the Portuguese sailors because they were patronizing the Benin Art.
What is the Benin Kingdom known for?
The historical kingdom of Benin was established in the forested region of West Africa in the 1200s C.E. According to history, the Edo people of southern Nigeria founded Benin. ... Artists of the Benin Kingdom were well known for working in many materials, particularly brass, wood, and ivory .
Why is the art of Benin considered royal arts?
Why is the art of Benin considered royal art? among African arts. Mostly crafted of brass and ivory, it leaves a lasting legacy of one of West Africa’s most prominent dynasties. A royal art, it was created for the purpose of glorifying the divine king, or Oba, and honoring past rulers .
Who or what does the leopard symbolize in Benin iconography quizlet?
– Leopard is a symbol of the royalty , especially to the Oba.
What is the primary purpose of masks and masquerades in traditional African culture?
Many African societies have a rich tradition of masquerades, which are plays, ceremonies, or dances by masked performers. Masquerades provide entertainment, define social roles, and communicate religious meaning . The masks used in such performances may be treasured as works of art.
Why are the Mudfish shown on the Queen Mother pendant mask?
Because they live both on land and in the water, mudfish represent the king’s dual nature as human and divine. Having come from across the seas, the Portuguese were considered denizens of the spirit realm who brought wealth and power to the “oba”.
Which part of Africa is Benin?
Benin is located in West Africa and covers a land area Of 112,622 Sq. km. and constitutes a long stretch of hand perpendicular to the Coast of the Gulf of Guinea.
Was Benin a British colony?
The Benin Kingdom was “one of the oldest and most developed states in the coastal hinterland of West Africa”. It was formed around the 11th century AD, and lasted until it was annexed by the British Empire in 1897 .
What did the Benin Empire trade?
From the 15th through the 18th century Benin carried on an active trade in ivory, palm oil, and pepper with Portuguese and Dutch traders, for whom it served as a link with tribes in the interior of western Africa.
When did the Portuguese discover Benin?
In 1485 Portuguese traders became the first Europeans to contact the kingdom of Benin, one of the oldest and most highly developed states in West Africa.
Where did Bini migrate from?
tradition says the Bini came from a place north of the Niger originally and lived under a king Lamorodu” (Roth 1968:6). The Benin chronicler J.U Egharevba collected material in the 1920s and 1930s.
How did the Benin plaques end up in Britain?
Most of the plaques and other objects were looted by British forces during the Benin Expedition of 1897 as imperial control was being consolidated in Southern Nigeria. Two hundred pieces were taken to the British Museum in London, while the rest found their way to other European museums.
Who made the Benin ivory mask?
The Nigerian government was unsuccessful in securing a loan of the work from the British Museum, and commissioned Edo artist Erhabor Emokpae to recreate the mask as a 20-foot tall bronze centerpiece for the festival (on display at the National Arts Theatre since 1979).
What modern day country would Benin be in right now?
| Republic of Benin République du Bénin (French) | Location of Benin (dark green) | Capital Porto-Novo a | Largest city Cotonou | Official languages French |
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What do the Benin Bronzes depict?
The Benin Bronzes come from Benin City, the historic capital of the Kingdom of Benin, a major city state in West Africa from the medieval period. ... ‘Benin Bronze’ plaque showing the king (Oba) in regalia and with symbols of royal power (c. 16th–17th century).
Are there Benin Bronzes in the US?
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has held one of the largest collections in the U.S. of Benin Bronzes, a group of objects looted by British soldiers in 1897 from the Kingdom of Benin, in what is now Nigeria. ... Sending back the two Benin Bronzes is a relatively minor step with potentially major implications.
What do the decorative brass plaques from Benin tell us about the Obas who commissioned them?
What do the decorative brass plaques from Benin City tell us about the obas who commissioned them? The obas displayed them to illustrate the organization of the Benin City royal society.
