Ivory Tusks Of Benin In Nigeria

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Carved Ivory Tusks from the Kingdom of Benin in Nigeria
INTRODUCTION
The kingdom of Benin is used to be the most powerful kingdom in the west of Niger River. Benin rulers, which is also called Oba, are always attributed to their great spiritual power. This kind of spiritual power is transmitted by these altars. The carved ivory tusks are supported by the brass heads of kings and queen mothers. These brass heads are also casted according to each ruler’s achievement and individual characters (Blier 65). According to the professor Henry Drewal, art of the kingdom Benin is excavated in the west of the Nigeria. It mainly made with ivories and bronze. Benin Art has three periods of time: early, middle, and late. Early/ Warrior Kind period is between …show more content…

Ogiso is 1300 years earlier than the foundation of today dynasty. Oba Ewuare, a king in this dynasty in the middle of fifteenth century, strongly support ivory carving and other “visual code” that can show the authority of king (Egharevabe 1). However, regardless this long history of ivory carving, the carved ivory tusks didn’t appear until eighteenth century. According to the record, the first two tusks are both from the ruler called Akengbuda. One is for his father Eresonyen while another one is for his grandfather Akenzua I. There are two tusks in the Perls collection, which are also in the Metropolitan Museum. These two tusks belongs to Obas Eweka II and Akenzua II for honoring their fathers (Blackmun 187-192).
MAIN FUNCTION Carved with the image of kings, queen mothers, leopards and warrior, the carved ivory tusk is from the kingdom Benin in Nigeria. It is an object recorded the supreme power and achievement of former kings. In the kingdom of Benin, after a king died, his son will inherit his throne. Then the new king will choose motifs that can represent his father and his kingdom and carved it on tusks to remind people of him. These tusks are always put in the altar of former kings established by his son and supported by the brass heads of kings and queen mothers (Dark …show more content…

In these tow tusks, these motifs are static figures carved in staying in distinguishable rows. The most important motifs are put in the center of each rows. Only be able to read from the bottom to the top, these figures are carved orderly and recognizable (Dark 52). This book takes the tusks belonged to Oba Ovonrramwen as an example. This tusk’s motifs only have six rows in the shape of fingertip. In the center of the bottom row, it is a typical figure in Benin art which will regarded as a kind of official in palace called Ewua, or the priest of Osanobua called Ohensa which is the high god of Benin. These two are both the symbol of origin of the kingdom of Benin (Dark 52). Similarly, in row 3, there is also a common motif which can be found on the art of Benin. Oba stays in the center of two identical figure with his hands and arms grabbed by these two supporter. These two supporter are the high priest of the kingdom of Benin named Osa and Osuan. It represents that Oba needs the support from his people (Dark

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