Origins of the Benin Bronzes
The Benin Bronzes are not a single category of artifact, but rather a collection of over a thousand plaques, sculptures, ceremonial objects, and other works of art made from brass, bronze, ivory, and wood. These works were created as early as the 13th century, though most date from the 16th to the 18th centuries. They were commissioned by the Oba (king) of Benin and crafted by highly skilled guilds based within the royal court.
The bronzes were used to decorate the royal palace in Benin City and served both religious and historical purposes. Plaques often depicted past Obas, warriors, dignitaries, and scenes from court life, acting as a visual record of the kingdom’s political and spiritual history. Other artifacts were used in rituals or as status symbols. The sophistication of the bronze casting—especially using the lost-wax technique—astonished European observers, challenging racist assumptions about African societies’ artistic and technical capabilities.
The British Invasion and the Looting of 1897
The fate of the Benin Bronzes changed dramatically in 1897, during a punitive expedition by the British Empire. In retaliation for the ambush of a British delegation, British troops invaded Benin City, set fire to the palace, deposed and exiled the Oba, and looted thousands of works of art.
The stolen bronzes were brought back to Britain and auctioned off to museums and private collectors across Europe and North America. Today, major institutions such as the British Museum, the Ethnological Museum in Berlin, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York hold large numbers of Benin Bronzes in their collections. shutdown123