Kingdom of BeninThe Kingdom of Benin, also known as the Edo Kingdom or the Benin Empire (Bini: Arriọba ẹdo), was a kingdom within what is now southern Nigeria. It has no historical relation to the modern republic of Benin, which was known as Dahomey from the 17th century until 1975. The Kingdom of Benin's capital was Edo, now known as Benin City in Edo State, Nigeria. The Benin Kingdom was "one of the oldest and most developed states in the coastal hinterland of West Africa".
Lost-wax castingLost-wax casting - also called investment casting, precision casting, or cire perdue (siʁ pɛʁdy; borrowed from French) - is the process by which a duplicate sculpture (often a metal, such as silver, gold, brass, or bronze) is cast from an original sculpture. Intricate works can be achieved by this method. The oldest known examples of this technique are approximately 6,500-year-old (4550–4450 BC) and attributed to gold artefacts found at Bulgaria's Varna Necropolis.
Yoruba peopleThe Yoruba people (Ìran Yorùbá, Ọmọ Odùduwà, Ọmọ Káàárọ̀-oòjíire) are a West African ethnic group who mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by the Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute more than 52 million people in Africa, are over a million outside the continent, and bear further representation among members of the African diaspora.
Edo peopleThe Edo people, sometimes referred to as the Bini (Benin) people, are an Edoid-speaking ethnic group who predominantly reside in 7 southern local government areas of the State of Edo, Nigeria. They are speakers the Edo language and are the descendants of the founders of the Benin Kingdom. They are closely related to other ethnic groups that speak Edoid languages, such as the Esan, the Etsakọ, the Isoko, and the Urhobo. The name "Benin" (and "Bini") is a Portuguese corruption, ultimately from the word "Ubini", which came into use during the reign of Oba (ruler) Ewuare, c.
Edo StateEdo, officially known as Edo State, is a state located in the South-South geopolitical zone of the federal republic of Nigeria. As of 2006 National population census, the state was ranked as the 24th populated state (3,233,366) in Nigeria. The state population figures is expected to be about 8,000,000 in 2022. Edo State is the 22nd largest State by landmass in Nigeria. The state's capital and largest city, Benin City, is the fourth largest city in Nigeria, and the centre of the country's rubber industry.
Benin CityBenin City is the capital and largest city of Edo State, southern Nigeria. In central Kings square, the Benin city National Museum traces the Benin empire and has displays of terracotta sculpture. The Oba's palace is known for bronze plaques that once decorated with the walls, depicting historical events and Life at court. is the fourth-largest city in Nigeria according to the 2006 census, after Lagos, Kano, and Ibadan. It is situated approximately north of the Benin River and by road east of Lagos.
IfẹIfẹ̀ (Ifẹ̀, also Ilé-Ifẹ̀) is an ancient Yoruba city in south-western Nigeria, recent in-depth archeologically estimates suggest Ife's founding to be between the 10th century BC and 6th century BC and is widely agreed upon by historians to be the oldest amongst the classical and post-classical Yoruba city-states. The city is located in present-day Osun State. Ife is about 218 kilometers northeast of Lagos with a population of over 500,000 people, which is the highest in Osun State according to population census of 2006.
Repatriation (cultural property)Repatriation is the return of the cultural property, often referring to ancient or looted art, to their country of origin or former owners (or their heirs). The disputed cultural property items are physical artifacts of a group or society taken by another group, usually in the act of looting, whether in the context of imperialism, colonialism, or war. The contested objects vary widely and include sculptures, paintings, monuments, objects such as tools or weapons for purposes of anthropological study, and human remains.
African artAfrican art describes the modern and historical paintings, sculptures, installations, and other visual culture from native or indigenous Africans and the African continent. The definition may also include the art of the African diasporas, such as: African-American, Caribbean or art in South American societies inspired by African traditions. Despite this diversity, there are unifying artistic themes present when considering the totality of the visual culture from the continent of Africa.
Bronze sculptureBronze is the most popular metal for cast metal sculptures; a cast bronze sculpture is often called simply "a bronze". It can be used for statues, singly or in groups, reliefs, and small statuettes and figurines, as well as bronze elements to be fitted to other objects such as furniture. It is often gilded to give gilt-bronze or ormolu. Common bronze alloys have the unusual and desirable property of expanding slightly just before they set, thus filling the finest details of a mould.
