Ẹyo Otọ
Ẹyo Otọ is a learning space about the objects and their Edo designations. Listen, view and read about their use, production and function.
Catalogue
Search, filter and explore data, images and linked research for 5,288 objects from 138 institutions in twenty countries.
Institutions
View objects listed in the 138 institutions in twenty countries currently holding historical Benin objects in their collections.
Provenance
Study the roles, biographies and object relations of provenance names found in the information provided by 138 institutions.
Map
Explore a present day map of Edo South (ancient Benin Kingdom) and Benin City. See the current location of the historical objects worldwide.
Oral History
Listen to oral traditions Benin people share, to transmit and preserve knowledge and cultural traditions from one generation to another.
Itan Edo
Itan Edo is the story of Benin Kingdom. Read about the cultural and historical trajectories related to kings, queens, guilds and more.
Archival Documents
Access the digitised archival documents that relate to the historic Benin objects, their provenance stories and the wider history of Benin Kingdom.
Archival Institutions
Explore a source guide of institutions that hold archival material related to the Benin Kingdom, its history and the objects shown on the platform.
Digital Research Tools
Study data on the platform with digital research tools and visualisations.
About the project
Date of document publication: 2022-11-07
The Map is simultaneously the past and present of Benin Kingdom and Benin City—the streets mark present urban development while the quarters remain in their traditional geographical setting. Thus, the map creates an experience of Benin Kingdom from a temporal perspective, showing as many places of important historical trajectories in the kingdom as possible—from Ọba Palace in the capital of the kingdom, Benin City, through the inner and outer layers of centuries-old moats, to the outlying provinces, towns and villages. The map helps identify various locations and sites within the ancient Benin City that have survived to date—in particular, the location of each guild and the gates to the ancient city.
These sites are labelled with historical content that complements the fieldwork, giving users a firsthand experience of historical Benin as a geographical space. The goal of the map is to connect the geographical location to historical content, like in the case of the Ọba Palace. On the map, the palace site is linked to the Itan Edo, which shows the kings of Benin Kingdom and some of their notable achievements. As part of the palace structure, the kings’ attendants, retainers and chiefs, described according to their chieftaincy categories, palace societies and affiliated guilds, are also shown. The descriptions highlight the socio-political and economic significance of this hierarchy of functionaries within Benin City, which is encircled by the great wall of Benin.
Two out of the large network of moats in Benin Kingdom are shown on this map. Their significance is related to the political economy of the kingdom. The inner moats separate the seat of the Ọba, the Ọba Palace, including its functionaries and guilds, from the Uzama N’Ihinron nobles, who are lords of their domains. The outer moat protects the entirety of Benin City from external aggression.
The map is designed to serve a special purpose for the users of the Digital Benin platform who have no knowledge of Benin Kingdom. It helps those who are familiar with the history of Benin to identify significant historical places and spaces in the kingdom.