Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

71

The Kingdom of Benin lay in the niger River delta area of what is now

southern nigeria. Benin began as a city-state in the 11th century, and by about

1450 was a wealthy kingdom that continued to flourish for another 300 years.

Two peoples, the Binis and Yoruba, made up the kingdom, which was ruled by

powerful kings called obas. The wealth of the kingdom came from trade,

either across the Sahara with other African peoples or on the coast with the

europeans. The center of the kingdom was Benin City. it contained a huge

royal palace, where the obas lived. The people of Benin were skilled

craftworkers who produced wonderful carvings and brasses. The Portuguese

arrived in the region in the 15th century, and in 1897 the British

conquered the kingdom and made it part of colonial nigeria.

Benin BRonzeS

The kingdom of Benin

was famous for its

“bronzes,” most of

which were actually brass

castings. The “bronzes,”

some of which were

large and striking

heads, represented

obas and other

dignitaries. Craftworkers also

made likenesses of european

traders who came to the

region. other Benin art

included ivory carvings and

plaques. These and other

artifacts were made by guilds

of craftspeople, who lived in

special areas in Benin City,

called wards.

oBAS

The obas were

immensely wealthy

and controlled trade.

one of the most

important obas was

ewuare the great

(c. 1440-80), who made

Benin City powerful. obas ruled

through ministers, to whom they delegated

some authority. The people of Benin revered

the obas as gods and made sacrifices to them.

Benin CiTY

dutch traveler olfert dapper

described Benin City in

1668 as large and

prosperous and

surrounded by a

high earth wall. it

contained many

fine buildings

including the obas’

palace. There were

also special areas

for craftspeople.

Benin Kingdom

A brass plaque that

decorated the wooden

pillars supporting the

oba’s palace.

TRAde And SlAveRY

for hundreds of years, Benin traded with

African kingdoms to the north. from about

1480, the Portuguese began buying slaves,

cloth, pepper, and ivory from Benin. The

obas stopped trading slaves in

1550, but in the 1600s they

again began selling slaves

to the europeans.

An oba, or great

king, flanked by two

of his courtiers

This wide-bladed sword

was designed for

ornamentation rather

than use in combat.

Africa

Africa, history of

Slavery

Find out more

Benin

Benin Kingdom was

situated in West Africa on

the site of present-day

Benin City, which is

named after the kingdom.

Ceremonial Benin anklet

sword

benin kingdom

1000s Benin City is

founded.

1450 Benin at its most

powerful.

1486 first Portuguese

explorer visits Benin.

1500s english, dutch, and

french merchants start

trading.

1680s Benin resumes slave

trade.

1668 olfert dapper writes

a history of Benin.

1897 British capture Benin

City and burn it.

Sahara Desert

Benin

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