Kingdom of Benin
- The kingdom of Benin was a pre-colonial kingdom in what is now southern Nigeria. It began in the 900s when the Edo people settled in the rainforests of West Africa.
- The rulers, known as the Oba were established through hereditary succession. Under these obas Benin became a highly organized state. Its numerous craftsmen were organized into guilds, and the kingdom became famous for its ivory and wood carvers. Its brass smiths and bronze casters excelled at making naturalistic heads, bas-reliefs, and other sculptures.
- The Obas lived in beautiful palaces decorated with shining brass. Many of Benin’s architectural innovations began with the palace including the introduction of a shingled roof, corrugated metal sheeting and mirrored bedroom ceiling. The halls were decorated by over 800 brass plaques depicting court officials, animals, Portuguese visitors, and other subjects. Royal ancestral altars bore cast metal heads, carved ivory tusks, brass figures, wooden staffs and other decorations.
- They traded ivory, palm oil, pepper, and salves with the Dutch and Portuguese from the 15th through the 18th century. The Kingdom also served as a link for Europeans to trade with other African kingdoms and tribes in the interior of West Africa.
- The kingdom was invaded by the British army in 1897 and made part of the British Empire.
Benin City
Benin City, originally known as Edo, was once the capital of The Benin Empire. The city was made of hundreds of interlocked cities and villages laid out to form perfect fractals. The main streets had underground drainage made of a sunken impluvium with an outlet to carry away storm water. Metal lamps fuelled by palm oil provided street lighting at night. The city was enclosed by massive walls made from earthworks longer than the Great Wall of China. The city was destroyed by…
Benin Art
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.
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