Benin Plaques
- Gallery: Room 25
- Made in: Benin City
- Date: 16thC-17thC
- Object type: plaque
- Materials: brass
- Museum number: Af1898,0115.53
- 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 is a "Benin Plaque," one of many striking brass reliefs made in Benin City. This one shows a powerful figure standing tall—left hand rests on his belt, right holds an eben sword high. He's dressed in rich adornments: a deep beaded collar, sash, and matching bracelets and anklets. The patterned skirt and leopard motif at his hip add to his status.
The plaque itself is beautifully cast in brass using the lost-wax method. It’s decorated with flanges and rosettes in the corners, set against a background of river-leaf patterns and small dots.
These plaques once lined the palace pillars of the Oba—Benin’s king—showing the strength and grandeur of the royal court. They reflect a sophisticated craft tradition, blending historical storytelling with intricate decoration. Today, this piece offers a glimpse into the splendor and complexity of 16th- to 17th-century Benin court life.
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.
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