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Court and ceremonial art makes up a vital corpus of Benin art. Private and public ceremonies mark many of the important moments in Benin’s yearly calendar. In the past, an elaborate series of rites were performed throughout the year to secure otherworldly support for the kingdom’s well-being and to celebrate decisive events in its history. [1]
The royal arts of the Benin Kingdom of southern region Nigeria affirm the centrality of the Oba, or divine king, portraying his divine nature. While recording the kingdom's significant historical events and the Oba's involvement with them, they also initiate the Oba's interactions with the supernatural and honor his deified ancestors, forging a continuity that is vital to the kingdom's well-being.
The Kingdom of Benin, [2] also known as Great Benin or Benin Kingdom is a kingdom within what is now considered southern Nigeria. [3] It has no historical relation to the modern republic of Benin, [4] which was known as Dahomey from the 17th century until 1975. The Kingdom of Benin's capital was Edo, now known as Benin City in Edo State, Nigeria.
Under Agaja, the Annual customs became the central religious ceremony in the kingdom, wide participation by most of the population was required, all family lineages were expected to provide gifts and tribute (sometimes considered taxes) to the ruler, and aspects of animal and human sacrifice were added to the practice. [4]
Benin Altar Tusks (Edo: Aken’ni Elao) are ivory artefacts from the Benin Kingdom in present-day Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.These tusks date back to the 16th century and measure approximately 61 inches (1,500 mm) in height, 5.2 inches (130 mm) in width, 4.7 inches (120 mm) in depth, and weighing 25 kilograms (55 lb) according to a sample at the British Museum.
The Kingdom of Benin was a hub of African civilization long before Portuguese traders visited, [15] [16] and bronzes were made in Benin prior to the arrival of the Portuguese. [17] The Benin bronze sculpture tradition is thought to have derived from or been influenced by that of the older nearby Kingdom of Ife in southwest Nigeria. [5] [6] [7]
Royal art in the Kingdom of Benin was made to glorify the Oba, the divine king who was the primary patron of the arts. [2] The elaborate ceremonial costumes that hip ornaments are a part of originated from Oba Ewuare. [3] Brass casting was almost exclusively at the command of the Oba and consisted mainly of ritual and ceremonial objects. [4]
However, a 2008 publication by the Art Institute of Chicago theorized that the practice of creating ancestral altars most likely originated during the earliest periods of the Benin Kingdom. [1] It was not until the arrival of the Portuguese, sometime between 1472 and 1485, to the Kingdom of Benin that written records of Edo history emerge. [3 ...