The ownership of this object was transferred to Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) in November 2022.
A bronze plaque, known as an Ama. Benin City. Ama are visual representations of important events in the Kingdom’s history. They ensure that these events are remembered across the generations. Plaques like this covered the walls of the Royal Palace.
This plaqye depicts a warrior, carrying a raised Eban (sword). He is depicted wearing a leopard tooth necklace, a coral neck piece and wrist and ankle cuffs.
The plaque is damaged on the top right hand corner and the bottom left hand corner.
This plaque was purchased from the Crown Agents for the Colonies on 11 March 1898, selling items looted in 1897 on behalf of the Foreign Office.
Made by Igun Eronmwon guildmembers (bronze and brass casters).
Such plaques were made to decorate architectural elements of the Oba’s palace at Benin. They are thought to have commemorated events in the history of the Edo Kingdom. This fragment of a brass plaque appears to show an Oba with characteristic beaded headdress carrying one of the emblems of his office, the eben sword.
