Honor Ancestors
The kingdom of Benin borders Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Togo, and Niger. Benin was the location of a great medieval kingdom rules by highly revered kings that are still honored by the Benin peoples today as powerful ancestors. The first king of Benin was thought to have been a god, so the spirit of Kings are seen as wielding particularly strong influence in the spirit world. The Benin people were quite advance, and crafted realistic sculptures along which stylized sculptures, which make them distinct from other African people’s art. This bronze head is thought to be of a royal ancestor, and was made to connect to that ancestor. It is thought that this head would have been sacrificed to and honored in festivals in order to draw the powerful royal’s spirit and win their favor in order to bring the community protection or to bring blessings upon the community. Many people have been impressed by the fine craftsmanship of these Benin heads, and even today the Benin people continue their legacy as fine artists and craftsmen around the world, as Paula Ben-Amos writes “Contemporary Benin artists have been trained in Nigeria universities or overseas, even though many began by learning at home with grandfathers or other relatives.”[i]
[i] Ben-Amos, The Art of Benin.
[i] Ben-Amos, The Art of Benin.