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kingdom of beninbenin kingdom

Plaque with Warrior Chief (16th–17th century) — British Museum

Cast brass rectangular relief plaque from the Kingdom of Benin, c. 1550–1650 CE. Depicts a warrior chief in full regalia flanked by two smaller attendant figures — hierarchical scale signalling courtly rank. Originally attached to the carved wooden pillars of the Oba's palace. Seized in the 1897 British Punitive Expedition. Held at the British Museum (Africa collection).

Scholarly Significance

Specific warrior-chief palace plaque (BM catalogue specific object, distinct from the type-representative node benin-plaque-warrior-chief-c1550-1680). Q06 smoke-test Benin Bronze cluster node with full 1897 seizure custody chain.

Notes

  • ·The river-leaf (or Portuguese manilla) quatrefoil background reflects the court's awareness of its 15th-century trading relationship with Portugal.
  • ·Some warrior plaques include Portuguese figures or muskets, documenting cross-cultural contact.
  • ·The plaques were described by early British expedition members as 'Benin Bronzes' despite the alloy being brass (copper-zinc), not bronze (copper-tin).