Meaning Of the Images of the Benin Plaques
There are over nine hundred Benin plaques in museums across America, Europe, and England. Nonetheless, most of these plagues were collected in 1897 during the British Punitive Expedition. It is held that the Benin plaques were fixed to the Oba’s palace and are a reflection of the values and traditions held by the Benin communities. The Benin society has a centralized leadership under Oba, who was believed to hail from the Oranmiyan lineage. Oranmiyan was the Benin dynasty founder, with Oba serving as the ritual, secular and spiritual head of the Benin Kingdom.
The Oba had the highest veneration and thus controlled important activities such as trade. Additionally, art was an integral part of the Benin society. Understanding the meaning and importance of the Benin Plagues would call for an equal evaluation of the Oba’s powers and functions. The argument rests on the fact that the plagues were used as symbols of the powers held by the Oba or the Oranmiyan. The Oba acted as the Benin government leader, oversaw the collection of taxes and division of land in the Kingdom.
Oba controlled trade by overseeing the negotiations with Europeans and other foreign traders. Most of these trading activities were done over the sea, thus the inclusion of the corals in both the plagues and the King’s attire. Another common feature in the Benin plague is the mudfish. They are a reflection of the powers of thKingKingng both on land and sea. Just like the mudfish hop in and out the swamp, water, and land, the Oba had unlimited powers over the Kingdom.
The other notable symbol in the Benin plagues is the leopards, which are an illustration of the mastery of the Oba over the tropical forests. Until recent times, most parts of Benin were covered in a thick tropical forest. The leopard is often regarded as thKingKingng of the forests, meaning that Oba was also the King of where his subjects lived. During important occasions, Oba would parade Leopards as a mascot while they would be offered sacrifices in other settings. There is also the inclusion of crocodiles in the plagues.
Crocodiles are viewed as custodians of the river with their inclusion in the plagues highlighting the power and authority of thKingKingng. The crocodile symbol meant that the Oba would keep the territory safe from any external intrusion. There is also the inclusion of a python in the Benin plagues. Snakes are often described as mysterious creatures but, in this case, are viewed as the link between Olukan and Oba. They are the messenger of the Olukan god and connected the Benin dynasty with the spiritual world.
There is the pictorial of thKingKingng comprising of ivory and brass work from the community in other plagues. Such plagues are described as a reflection of the kingship’s burdens in protecting and ruling over all the subjects. The inclusion of the two attendants on his sides highlights the need for the society members to help the ruler carry out his duties. In short, these symbols are more than decorations as they carry deep meanings and traditions relating to the Benin dynasty.