Benin Plaques
- Gallery: Room 25
- Made in: Benin City
- Date: 16thC-17thC
- Object type: plaque
- Materials: brass
- Museum number: Af1898,0115.85
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you stands a striking brass relief plaque, a masterpiece from Benin City. Rich with intricate detail, it features a central figure with an impressive helmet and armor, holding a sword and spear with confident authority. His attire, including a leopard's tooth necklace and body armor, reflects royal regalia.
To either side are flanking figures, sharing a spear with the central form—hinting at cooperation or ceremony. Above the action are delicate rosettes, while the background is detailed with river-leaf patterns and subtle textures, a testament to the craftsmanship.
Crafted using the lost-wax method, this plaque dates to the 16th or 17th centuries. Such works once adorned the palace of the Oba, or king, as symbols of political and spiritual power. Today, this one arrived in the UK after the British Expedition of 1897, a dramatic event that dispersed many Benin artworks across the world.
Look closely—there’s a story in every line and form, capturing a powerful moment from the heart of the Benin Kingdom.
See it in person
Benin Plaques is on display in Room 25 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
New, in beta. British Museum support has just launched and is still improving: over 1,000 objects so far, with more added all the time.
