Title: Head of an Oba (Benin Kingdom)
Material: Bronze (lost-wax cast)
Origin: Benin Kingdom, Edo State, Nigeria
Date: Circa 16th–18th century
This bronze commemorative head represents a past Oba, the divine king of the ancient Benin Kingdom. Crafted using the lost-wax technique, it features idealized facial traits, a high, ornate headdress, and a neck adorned with stacked coral bead rings—symbols of royalty and sacred authority.
Such heads were placed on ancestral altars in the royal palace to honor and connect with departed Obas, underscoring their continued spiritual presence and the importance of royal lineage in Benin society.
Source: Oweh Art Gallery. Head of an Oba (Benin Kingdom), Bronze-cast(lost-wax), Private collection, Benin city
HIGHPOLY MODEL INCLUDED IN ADDITIONAL FILE
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