Object History Note / Acquisition Notedescription, provenance, notes During the British Expeditionto Benin City (Edo) in 1897 objects made of brass, ivory, coral and wood were looted by British soldiers from the royal palace, its storerooms and compounds. Some of these objects were sold or exchanged on the coast. However, many were brought to the UK where they were sold through private auction, donated to museums, or retained by soldiers of the expedition See Collection File: Af1913,1211.1-2.
Physical descriptiondescription Relief plaque, lost-wax cast in brass. Wide plaque, rectangular in form with side flanges. Background surface decorated with river leaf patterns and stippling. Three nail holes at top right, left and centre. Two holes at bottom right and centre; remians of iron nail at bottom left. Depicts central warrior, facing front, holding eben sword aloft in right hand, sharing hold of spear with left hand. Has side plaits terminating in beads at either side of face. Dotted scarification marks on upper arms and torso. Wears beaded cap with feather at left side, deep beaded collar, leopard's tooth necklace, beaded sash across chest, bracelets, human-headed hip ornament at left side, beaded anklets, and patterned wrap-around skirt. Flanked by two warriors, facing front, with shields on opposing outer arms. Warrior on right holds spear in right hand, shares grasp of spear in left hand with central figure. Both warriors have beards and curled side locks on left side. Wear tall feathered headdresses, beaded necklaces, leopard's tooth necklaces, quadrangular bells on chest, body armour and patterned wrap-around skirts. Smaller scale figures in between, facing front. Emada figure on right holds large sheathed sword in left hand across body, bell in right hand. Has shaved head with central crest and side plaits terminating in beads, beaded necklaces, bracelet(s) and decorated lower legs. Musician figure at left blows horn held in both hands. Has tiered hairstyle with side plaits and feather at left side. Wears leopard's tooth necklace, bracelets, and patterned wrap-around skirt. Two small scale emada figures at top of plaque, both facing front. Figure on right holds circular animal skin fan. Has tiered hairstyle with side plaits terminating in beads. Wears beaded necklace. Figure on left has shaved head with central crest and side plaits terminating in beads, triangular mark down nose, legs decorated with painted designs, possibly with ? leg rings. Holds antelope-headed container in both hands. Wears beaded necklaces and bracelets.
The relief brass plaques that used to decorate the Oba's (king's) palace are among the most well-known of all the royal arts of Benin. Although frequently described as 'Benin Bronzes' most plaques are made of leaded brass in various compositions. It is widely accepted that they date to the 16th-17th centuries. In the years prior to the British Expeditionroyal influence in Benin was increasingly under threat from rival powers, both internal and external, with a focus on economic power and control of the important trading monopolies. However, the court and palace remained the political and spiritual centre of the Benin Kingdom. Earlier accounts written by Europeans visiting the city describe its size and scale. The palace complex was set up around atrium courtyards; some had galleries with wooden pillars supporting the roof. Brass plaques, probably made in matching pairs, were fixed to these pillars. The Benin brass plaques represent a distinct and unique corpus of work, unparalleled elsewhere on the continent. They are cast using the cire perdue (lost wax) technique and show significant variation in the depth of the relief. Some of the plaques portray historical events or commemorate successful wars, while others are a vivid depiction of Benin court life and ritual. Several groups of plaques show clear stylistic similarities. William B. Fagg suggested that these plaques represent the work of master brass casters. Fagg, William, 1973, 'Nigerian Images', London: Lund Humphries Gunsch, Kathryn, 2018, 'Benin plaques: a 16th century imperial monument', London: Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group ~This plaque was not included in the loan of 304 plaques from the Foreign Office that were displayed at the British Museum in 1897.~Part of Processional Pillar Set 6 (3A): Gunsch, 2018. ~Forms direct pair with BM Af1898,0115.86.