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History of The Kingdom of Benim

Plate 3.1.16 is a colour photograph of a relief plaque showing a Portuguese Man holding a large manilla. The dark coloured metal is brass which is an alloy of zinc and copper and was cast in the Kingdom of Benin around the late fifteenth or sixteenth century. The man is wearing European clothing of leather trousers, a breastplate, a short kilt and a beaten metal helmet. The outfit could easily have been worn by a trader or soldier as it is functional and manoeuvrable yet shows no apparent badges of rank or weaponry. In his other had the man is carrying a stick held downwards, it is not a hostile pose. The legs of the individual appear foreshortened and finish around mid-calf. The image has been taken as a frontal snapshot and the feet stick straight out from the relief. Around the image are decorative etchings of flowers and five circular nail holes are also present.

The Kingdom of Benin was near the River Niger in modern day Nigeria. In Benin “…history has traditionally been recorded through the arts…rather than written down.” (Woods and Mackie, 2008 p.4) Brass, together with coral and to a lesser extent ivory and leopards, was heavily associated with Royalty and the King or Oba. The guild of brass workers was solely controlled by the Oba and artisans crafted decorative plaques, masks and heads by using the Lost Wax method. These brass artworks constructed a visual history of Benin with important . . . read more.