Ama is a pictorial combination of figures that has a historical explanation or is a visual representation of a historical event. Ama had a mnemonic purpose, aiding one to recall the events or persons represented in the artwork. Benin oral traditions are popularly transmitted in the form of commemorative festivals, stories, plays, songs, poems, riddles, proverbs and other forms of oral literature. Ben-Amos (1980:28) observed the existence of over nine hundred known plaques which provided a testimony to court life at the time of Ọba Esigie, considered ‘a sort of pictorial record of events in Benin history, an aid to memorizing oral traditions’.
Although the objects grouped here are singularly described as Ama in Edo, in English they are described as relief plaques or carved wooden panels.
"Bronze plaque of Edo origin. From Benin in Mid-western state of Nigeria. Represents OBA OHUAN - the tenth Oba of Benin. The plaque was unearthed in 1916 during the course of erecting a building in the Oba of Benin's compound. Presented by the Oba to Lord Lugard, the then Governor of Nigeria. Accompanying (a) A letter dated May 31st 1916 from M. James Watt, a resident of Benin and; (b) A description of the plaque and a note on bronze moulding at Benin, dated August 21st 1916. All were donated as gift to the museum by Major E. J. Lugard.
Data found in file 110 of the Lagos Archive, Felicity research March 2017"