What does the art of the Kingdom of Benin tell us?
The craftworkers of the Kingdom of Benin produced beautiful artworks.
They were made from metal (like brass and bronze) and other materials including the famous Benin bronzes.
They help us understand what the people saw as important for their lives and religious beliefs.
Important words
Important words on art in the Kingdom of Benin.
| Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|
| Brass | A metal made from copper and zinc. |
| Coral | A natural material made by a sea creature. |
| Copper manillas | A piece of metal jewellery made from copper, it looks similar to the letter ‘n’. |
| Merchants | A person who bought and sold goods. |
| Sculptures | A type of artwork made from materials like stone, wood or clay. |
Watch: What role did guilds play in the Kingdom of Benin?
Learn about the role guilds played in the development of the Kingdom of Benin.
In the West African Kingdom of Benin, work groups called guilds made impressive objects. By the late 13th century, each guild had its own role. Some made ivory or brass objects, while others wove cloth.
They often worked for the Obas – the kings of Benin. The Obas controlled the guilds and used their work in ceremonies and in the royal palace. These included ivory, jewellery and bronze artworks that showed Obas, key battles, and important events.
When Europeans first visited, they were surprised because they didn't expect the people who lived in Benin to make such skilled and detailed artwork.
Members of the guilds taught their children how to weave, carve or cast metal. This meant their skills were passed down through families.
The guilds of Benin were more than craft workers. They strengthened the Obas’ power and made the kingdom well known for its art.
What was art in Benin like?
The people of Benin made many different kinds of art.
Village craftworkers made simple pots, weapons and tools.
They carved masks for ceremonies and they moulded sculptures (a type of artwork made from materials like stone, wood or clay) of gods out of mud.
Metalworkers used copper manillas (a piece of metal jewellery made from copper) to create different metal artworks.
Guilds were groups of craftworkers like wood carvers, ivory carvers, leather workers, weavers and blacksmiths.
The guilds passed down their skills from father to son.
The metals used came from trade with Europeans.
Brass (a metal made from copper and zinc) casters were only allowed to work for the Oba (king).
The art of Benin features people, animals (like crocodiles and leopards) and gods.
It helps historians and archaeologists understand what life and religion were like in the kingdom.
What materials did craft workers use?
Each guild produced different types of goods.
Some used ordinary materials and others crafted with the most precious available.
Craftworkers used:
- Clay
- Wood
- Leather
The most precious materials were:
- Brass
- Coral (a natural material made by a sea creature)
- Ivory (from elephant tusks
Watch: Benin bronzes
Watch the video to learn more about the Benin bronzes.
Find out how bronze statues were made
Narrator: Hello, future people of the UK. I’d like to show you around the Benin civilisation.
But to do that, you’ve got to go back 500 years. Before Queen Victoria, before the Spanish Armada, right back to the time of Henry VIII. Now, head south over France and into Africa.
We are in that little corner where Nigeria will be one day. You’ve made it! Welcome to the Benin civilisation. My name is Ibi. I’m on my way to the Oba’s Palace.
The Oba is our leader, but we hardly ever see him because he stays in there the whole time. Except for once a year.
Next week, he’ll come out of those gates for a big parade. The whole town is getting ready for the event. That’s why I’m here.
The Oba wants a special ornament made so he can show off his power. Cripes! This will keep my dad busy!
My dad is a bronze caster. He makes all kinds of stuff. But the Oba wants him to make a very fancy mask in time for the parade. This is going to be tight.
Dad uses these copper hoops, called manilla, as the main ingredient in bronze. But, oh, no!
It looks like we’ve run out of the other ingredient, tin!
Maybe our neighbours will have some tine we can trade for this copper. Follow me!
We’re a big trading nation so our city is organised into trading districts, making all kinds of different things. Hopefully one of them will have some tin.
Let’s try the… metal district? Nope.
Carpentry district? Nope.
Pottery district? Nothing.
This is bad. It’s not a good idea to disappoint the all-powerful Oba.
Some say he’s got magical powers. Hmmmm…
Ok, my last hope is the weaving district. Though I doubt they’ll have any tin.
Let me guess, no tin? Brilliant!
What are the chances? Let’s do a deal.
Hmmm… I’ve not seen a cup like this before. The weavers say it was traded for some cloth with merchants from very far away.
You see, we trade with the whole of Africa and some of our goods come from as far away as India.
But, apparently, some particularly strange traders showed up recently. They had weird, pale skin, beards and strange-looking clothes.
No-one had seen them before. But rumour was, they were from a place called Portugal.
They wanted to set up a direct trade route from their homeland all the way to here.
Ok, so you are probably wondering, How you turn all this into a work of art?
Well, step 1 -make your design out of wax.
Step 2 – cover with sand, leaving a hole.
Step 3 – make bronze by melting down the copper manilla and mixing with tin.
Step 4 – pour into the hold, which boils off the wax.
Step 5 – wait for it to cool.
Then, after a few days’ polishing it’s perfect for the Oba.
All done. What do you think? Right, I’d better get this to the Oba before he puts a spell on me or something.
Here you go. Please give this to the Oba.
He should be out any minute now. Here he comes! And yes, those are pet cheetahs.
And there’s the mask. Brilliant! I’m so relieved we made it in time.
Well, that’s about all. The Portuguese will carry on coming and more Europeans will arrive to start trading, too.
But in the end, it will all go wrong for us when the British invade.
That will spell the end of our empire. And all this, it will be history.
How were Europeans shown in Kingdom of Benin art?
The craftworkers of Benin often showed Europeans in their art.
Sometimes they have a beard and sometimes they wear armour and hold a weapon.
The Obas had a good relationship with merchants (a person who bought and sold goods) from Europe.
Around the 1800s the Europeans decided they wanted to take their land.
They took control of the African kingdoms and built their own empires.
Where are the Benin bronzes today?
Many bronzes were taken in 1897 when the city was invaded then looted (stolen) by the British army and made part of the British Empire.
These have been shown in museums around the world like the British Museum.
People are asking for the bronzes to be returned and some museums are now returning them to the country they were originally taken from.
Think like a historian
Have a look at the thinking points below and think about your answer to the questions. You could even write it down on a piece of paper or discuss it with somebody else if you want to.
How can historians show that the Benin craft workers were skilled metalworkers?
Which animals were seen as important by the people of Benin and shown in art?
The sculptures, plaques and objects they produced are incredibly detailed. The skills they used in the guilds were also passed down from father to son.
Leopards were a symbol of strength and power, the Oba was sometimes shown as a crocodile because he could act swiftly and with force. Other animals are characters in the stories they told like the fish eagle (named because it hunts fish for food), mudfish and python.
Activities
Activity 1: Animals in art
Click below to find out about common animals in Benin art.
Activity 2: Quiz – Art of Benin
Grown-ups corner
Are you a parent, carer or teacher?
Take a look at some of the links below on KS2 History which are packed full of knowledge, videos, quizzes and activities.
KS2 History: The story of the Benin bronzes
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
KS2 History: Introducing Ancient Sumer
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
KS2 History: Non-European Societies
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade game! game
Play Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade KS2 History
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