History of Benin City

An oba, or king, and his court have, from around 1300 C.E., governed the kingdom from Benin City, the capital.Within the kingdom, specialized artists belonged to guilds with hereditary membership and worked solely for the oba.

Rectangular and around 45 centimetres in height, these panels show figures in high relief, very often of warriors and rulers. It shows the configuration of carved ivory tusks, commemorative heads, bells, a king figure with an Copyright © 2020 Smithsonian National Museum of African Art.To inspire conversations about the beauty, power, and diversity of African arts and cultures worldwide.Women’s Initiative at the National Museum of African Art

The kingdom of Benin, home of the Edo-speaking peoples, is located in the tropical rain forest region of what is now Nigeria. Such was the well-established nature of these trade relations, there is evidence of native currencies being used which took the form of manillas (heavy horseshoe-shaped bracelets), wiring and rods all made from metals like From around 1450 CE Portuguese ships were sailing down the Atlantic coast of Africa and offering an alternative to the trans-Saharan caravan routes and those trade networks between Africa’s interior kingdoms.

We have reviews of the best places to see in Benin City. About Edo state Area 17,802 Square Miles Founded 1991 August 27 Population 3,233,366 (2014) Benin HISTORY OF EDO STATE The Mid-Western Region was a division of Nigeria from 1963 to 1991, formally k… The engineering feat still marvels in modern times. Ivory was another medium that Benin craftworkers favoured, carving it into the hip masks mentioned above and also extremely ornate and intricate boxes, combs and armlets. The sound of the bells identified Benin warriors in battle, served as a sign of the spiritual protection of the king, and spread terror among the enemy. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in August. The walls may have served to demarcate different kin groups within the capital, all loyal to the king but each having their own outlying farmland. The three main kingdoms (created by the Fon) were that of Allada, founded in the 16th century, it was the most powerful kingdom in … To prevent the British party from interfering with annual royal rituals, some chiefs ordered, against Oba Ovonramwen’s wishes, warriors to attack the expedition.

The heartland was a circle around the capital, also called Benin, extending some 60 kilometres in all directions and was ruled directly by the king. Originally attached to wooden pillars in the royal palace of Benin, many of the plaques commemorate historical conflicts, show scenes of life at court and Benin religious rituals.

The history of Benin is a succession of several kingdoms, it was the seat of Dahomey, one of the great medieval African kingdoms. Mark is a history writer based in Italy.

The artists of Benin were not averse to producing works specifically for the Portuguese market either, carving such items as ivory salt cellars with European horse riders or casting brass soldiers bearing muskets, all with a uniquely African twist.Other European nations besides the Portugues became interested in West Africa by the late 16th century CE, including the British, French, and Dutch.

It was. His special interests include pottery, architecture, world mythology and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share in common. Its capital was Edo, now known as Benin City in Edo state. With better tools to use in The Kingdom of Ife, located in today’s Nigeria like the Kingdom of Benin, flourished between the 11th and 15th century CE. It is a city approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of the Benin River. Most have one or two male figures in court regalia. The lost-wax technique was used from this period (as opposed to smithing prior to the 16th century CE) to produce sculptures of all kinds, but one particular speciality was plaques. Ife had perhaps been influenced by the earlier As the art historian, P. Garlake states, "The myths and traditions of the The Kingdom of Benin was located near the southern coast of West Africa in a region which is today southern Nigeria (the modern state of Benin is further along the coast to the west and named after the Bight of Benin). The Benin Empire, also known as the Benin Kingdom, was a pre-colonial kingdom in what is now southern Nigeria. The Portuguese were not inclined to arm a potential enemy and instead sent a number of Christian missionaries to try, as had been attempted elsewhere in Africa, to convert the ruler and thus his people to Perhaps Benin’s greatest king was Ewuare the Great (r. 1440-1473 CE) who was regarded not only as a great warrior but also a powerful magician. The Europeans were interested in beads, cotton cloth, ivory, and slaves, which they could then trade on to other West African peoples in exchange for what they prized most of all: gold and pepper (the only two goods in demand in Europe).

Symbols of royal power and sacrifice—kola nuts, elephant trunks, leopards, and mythical fish—decorate the base of the head.