Benin Empire everyday objects (Keys, Lamps, Bells, Mirrors and etc)

[EdJo]

Everyday objects from the Benin empire


A sketch of a Benin hand lamp - Never thought of another use of palm oil, besides food, lmao

Brass key hook with four-arm cross finial

Iron key with trefoil-shaped brass finial inlaid with agate

Bell (with human head, and crocodiles) made of bronze

Mirror

A bronze design of their traditional architecture

 

[EdJo]

Compound and street lamps. Source - Great Benin - Its Customs, Art, and Horror' by L Roth, published in 1903

Wow, Benin had streets lamps...


Illustration to show how the keys worked

Sketch of a key from Benin dated - Benin City Expedition 1897

More Keys

Another key

 

[EdJo]

Lamp made of Iron

Lamp made of metal

Bronze four-wick lamp with four link suspension chain with hook at end

Cubical-metal-lamp-with-handle-chain-hook-for-suspension

 

[Secure Da Bag]

All that is pre-colonialism? As in they came up with all that themselves no europeans involved?

 

[EdJo]

All that is pre-colonialism? As in they came up with all that themselves no europeans involved?

Yes, from what i was checking, they pre-date European contact. I am just not sure about the mirror. The bronze of the house, was clearly created after, because of the guns. But there are other Benin Bronzes with the same style, showing their architecture.

These artifacts, just like the Benin Bronzes, were stolen by the British during the 1897 punitive expedition. And most of the artifacts stolen pre-date the european contact.

Benin Bronzes are from the 13th century.

The first Europeans to interact with the Benin Kingdom were the Portuguese, if i am not mistaken. And their artifacts were completely different.

British Punitive Expedition - When they stole the artifacts that i posted

 

[GodsPerspective]

We need to get images like these into the curriculum for African descendants all across the globe.

We've been done so dirty... fukk

 

[Neuromancer]

Excellent thread.

 

[KingDanz]

 

[JahFocus CS]

subs

 

[Danie84]

If only THEY SCHOOLS/Museum really displayed our BLACKEXCELLENCE pre-colonization

 

[Ya?]

Wow very interesting thanks op.

 

[godliness]

beautiful images

 

[Sukairain]

Absolutely love this thread as a historian these artefacts are fascinating

 

[agpxknt]

 

[Neuromancer]

Compound and street lamps. Source - Great Benin - Its Customs, Art, and Horror' by L Roth, published in 1903

Wow, Benin had streets lamps...


Illustration to show how the keys worked

Sketch of a key from Benin dated - Benin City Expedition 1897

More Keys

Another key

these key mechanisms are pretty neat.