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The plaques were extremely valuable and hundreds were hung from columns in the Royal Palace to demonstrate the King's power and wealth.

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Symbols on the Plaques: ceremonies, battles, events and characters.

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Symbols on the Plaques: ceremonies, battles, events and characters.

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Leopards:

They became a symbol of the King because of they were fast, strong, intelligent and daring. Tamed leopards were kept in the palace to demonstrate the King's power over the wilderness.

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Read and learn for free about the following article: Benin plaques

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Anyone who lived in the West African kingdom of Benin during its existence from the 12th or 13th century until its conquest by the British in 1897 was left in no doubt about one thing: the power of the king of Benin.

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The size of the people on the plaques indicated their level of power and importance. The King (Oba) was always the largest figure. There were never any women or children on the plaques.

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Mudfish, Frogs and Crocodiles:

These animals had the special quality of being able to swim and walk on land. This showed his people the King's divinity. In the plaque below you will notice that the King's legs have fish-like qualities.

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The plaques were made of brass because of it's hard, long-lasting qualities. This conveyed the king's

enduring power. They were about 1-11/2 feet tall.

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The king had these plaques made to teach the Edo peoples about himself.

He wanted to convey his enduring power, divinity and strength.

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In the late 1800's, over 4,000 royal artworks were taken by the British when they invaded and conquered Benin. They then sold the pieces to help recover the cost of the British Punitive Expedition. These objects are now in collections worldwide

Detroit Institute of Art

Smithsonian, National Museum of African Art

Metropolitan Museum of Art

National Museum of Scotland

Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

British Museum

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Benin: Kings and Rituals: Court Arts from Nigeria: Barbara Plakensteiner, O.J. Eboreime: 9789053496268: Amazon.com: Books

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Benin: Kings and Rituals: Court Arts from Nigeria: Barbara Plakensteiner, O.J. Eboreime: 9789053496268: Amazon.com: Books

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The Art of Benin: Nigel Barley, Kevin Lovelock, Michael Row: 9780714125916: Amazon.com: Books

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The Art of Benin: Nigel Barley, Kevin Lovelock, Michael Row: 9780714125916: Amazon.com: Books

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The Art of Benin: Paula Girshick Ben-Amos: 9781560986102: Amazon.com: Books

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The Art of Benin: Paula Girshick Ben-Amos: 9781560986102: Amazon.com: Books

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Benin: Royal Arts of a West African Kingdom (Art Institute of Chicago): Kathleen Bickford Berzock: 9780300136777: Amazon.com: Books

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Benin: Royal Arts of a West African Kingdom (Art Institute of Chicago): Kathleen Bickford Berzock: 9780300136777: Amazon.com: Books

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benin: royal arts of a west african kingdom (art institute of chicago)

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Benin: Royal Arts of a West African Kingdom (Art Institute of Chicago)

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In the late 15th century, the Kingdom of Benin (located in present-day southwestern Nigeria) established a mercantile relationship with Portugal, significantly increasing its wealth and might. Benin became a regional powerhouse and, under a long lineage of divine rulers, or obas, it wielded great...

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The history of the continent from an African perspective. With hundreds of pages, and multi-media, the BBC investigates the events and characters that have made African history from the origins of humankind to the end of South African apartheid.