Benin was ruled by france between 1904 and 1960 and french is still. A brief history the kingdom of benin was established in 40bc and was at its height and glory between the 14th and the 16th centuries. It was the ritual performed that gave oranmiyans son the title of eweka that every subsequent obatobe goes to use to perform to this day. The republic of benin is a small west african country. Nations and cultures in remote history can seem far removed from our world, but these connections demonstrate how our everyday lives have been shaped by the. We can get an idea of the kingdoms grandeur and accomplishments from the bronze plaques commissioned by the kings obas to commemorate and record achievements during their reign. Jun 07, 2017 the history of benin as a unified kingdom is believed to have begun in the 12th or th centuries ad.
Develop your knowledge and understanding of world history by finding out about the history of the kingdom of benin. It was made by benin craftsmen and features portuguese traders shown with long hair, beards and hooked noses together with their ship. Thirtyone ogisos in all ruled the kingdom of benin between 900 1200 ad, which is the earliest period so far accounted for in benin history. Read and learn for free about the following article. This free resource is differentiated in six levels for year 3 to year 6. This salt cellar is made of ivory and dates from the sixteenth century. If youre behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains.
The history of ancient benin kingdom and empire oronsaye, daniel nabuleleorogie on. The salt cellar offers a good chance to explore the contacts between west africa and europe. Languages such as fon and yoruba are commonly spoken. Tradition asserts that the edo people became dissatisfied with the rule of a dynasty of semimythical kings, the ogisos, and in the th century they invited prince oranmiyan of ife to rule. The region was a french colony for 58 years between 1900 and 1958 8. Precolonial benin kingdom not to be confused with benin, kingdom of benin is an area of nigeria, benin city in that region. The book provides a vivid portrait of these exceptional narrative sculptures and the equally remarkable people who crafted them. A social history of the western igbo people, by don c. However it is not only the oba who finds his authority located and legitimated in erinmwin. By about 1750, the kingdom of dahomey a part of benin was earning an estimated. Teaching history with 100 objects ivory salt cellar from benin. It is entirely separate from the republic of benin, which was then known as dahomey.
Pupils will use atlases to find out where the kingdom of benin used to be located. For getting complete knowledge about these things, the individuals are required to consider the way of books. It is not to be confused with benin, the postcolonial nation state. The largest religious group in benin is roman catholicism. In order to gain improved trading and security, some of the villages made a decision to join together as a conglomerate around ad 900. Sep 07, 2012 the benin people corrupted owomika to eweka and gave it as the title to oranmiyans son who thus became known to the benin people as eweka. Of all the west african societies, the kingdom of benin is the one most mentioned in contemporary european literature. Benin was a french colony from the late 19th century until 1960. Pdf contesting the history of benin kingdom researchgate. They were ruled by a dynasty of kings called ogisos meaning kings of the sky and the people began to build an. Benin history and the tales of its kingdom that he analyzes. Those activities finally led to more than thirty publications on the former kingdom of benin.
Iron technology the use of iron and development of its technology in benin kingdom. Kingdom of benin writing exercises free printable worksheet for world history scroll down to print pdf african civilizations writing exercises on the kingdom of benin. Benin was thus the first african country to effect successfully the transition from dictatorship to a pluralistic political system. The portuguese, the french, and the dutch established trading posts along the coast portonovo, ouidah, cotonou, and traded weapons for. Use the flipchart or powerpoint to explore the link between the yoruba and edo people, and the stories behind the first oba. Ivory salt cellar from benin teaching history with 100. The rise and fall of a mighty forest kingdom roese, peter m. Kingship in the edo kingdom is constituted through the office and person of the oba of benin through whom a relationship is set up to erinmwin the spirit world with the oba standing as a unique figure on behalf of the entire edo kingdom. Most people live on the small southern coastline on the bight of benin.
The last ship of slaves departed from dahomey for brazil in 1885 7. Pupil activity sheets for all lessons lessons include. According to belief, the local edo chiefs tired of fighting among themselves and decided to invite the ife chief, oduduwa, to become their leader. Popular books on benin best book recommendations, best. Learn more about the history, geography, and culture of benin in this article.
The benin kingdom was one of the oldest and most highly developed states in the coastal hinterland of west africa, it was formed around. The pdf file contains the full lesson plan and two pupil activity sheets. It covers an area of 44,310 sqm and is home to about 11 million people. Benin kingdom began as a group of small villages situated in the rainforests of west africa. Benin simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Search the history of over 431 billion web pages on the internet. Often recruited as teenagers, the women soldiers lived in the royal palace, isolated from society.
This is a short history of africa excluding egypt, ethiopia and dutch and british south africa, which are the subjects of separate histories. The bini monarchy demonstrates strong affinity with ancient egyptian gods and pharaohs, with which it shares identical authority, grandeur and a. Most of the people within the benin empire were edo. Benin arose as a citystate in the late 1100s or 1200s and expanded into a larger kingdom or empire in the mid1400s. The kingdom of benin has produced some of the most renowned examples of african art. The history of the kingdom of benin from african historical.
On this article we want to go back to history how bening came into existence, just read on if you have interest in know benin history. If youre seeing this message, it means were having trouble loading external resources on our website. A short history of benin 3rd edition by jacob egharevba. Europeans began arriving in the area in the 18th century, as the kingdom of dahomey was expanding its territory. Second in status only to the gods, the oba of benin remains a sacred overlord. Uwadiae from urhonigbe, southeast of benin kingdom. He sent his son, who had a child, eweka, by the daughter of a local chief. Benin, slave accounts of life in africa before capture.
It is bordered by togo to the west, nigeria to the east, burkina faso to the northwest, and niger to the northeast. The kingdom of benin if youre seeing this message, it means were having trouble loading external resources on our website. Smith, in his book titled kingdoms of the yoruba, after examining the early history of some principal yoruba towns, especially in and around oyo, and the westward expansion in the l7th century of benin kingdom with its number of subject towns on or near to the coast, which included lagos, went on to say this about lagos in particular. The palace sculptures of abomey combines lavish color photographs of the basreliefs with a lively history of the dahomey kingdom, complemented by period drawings, rare historical photographs, and colorful textile art. The first kingdom of benin is believed to have developed in the 12th or th century. There are an estimated 2,400 to 4,000 known objects including 300 bronze heads, elephant tusks, and 850 relief plaques. The forgotten story, from the schomburg center for research in black culture nypl timeline of art history. Answer each of the following questions using complete sentences. Jun 20, 2015 pupils will use atlases to find out where the kingdom of benin used to be located. The seat of government is in cotonou, the countrys largest city. Internet archive contributor internet archive language english. Chief egharevba has left generations factaminute historical compendium of benin kingdom and southern nigeria that is sown like a thread in a garment. Culturally diverse, benins people follow a diverse mix of christian, muslim, and west african traditional beliefs.
Each worksheet requires children to fill in missing dates of major events during the kingdom of benin. Then they will set this period into the wider context of british and world history and make their own timelines. While much of the cultural heritage of benin has been looted and now resides in british museum, there are still several interesting artifacts displayed, reflecting the rich history and culture of the edo people and benin kingdom. The kingdom of benins capital was edo, now known as benin city in edo state. In particular, we hope to trace the general sociopolitical trajec tory of benin kingdom from the.
All individuals hear about the africa and benin its part. Some of the history of these countries, however, is naturally mentioned in this history of the rest of africa but is kept to the minimum needed to make the rest comprehensible. The precolonial benin kingdom or empire was located in what is today southern nigeria. Empires come and go in history, it was just the same for the kingdom of benin. The art of the kingdom of benin, not to be confused with the republic of benin, is most widely known for its bronze plaques. The inhabitants of benin spoke a group of closely related languages known as. The history was collected from the following authorities. Primarily made of cast bronze and carved ivory, benin art was produced mainly for the court of the oba of benin a divine ruler for whom the craftsmen produced a range of ceremonially significant objects. The majority of its population lives on the small southern coastline. What came to be known as the benin kingdom did not being its existence as a kingdom in the sense of it being headed by a king or a traditional.
Culturally diverse, benin s people follow a diverse mix of christian, muslim, and west african traditional beliefs. The bini monarchy demonstrates strong affinity with ancient egyptian gods and pharaohs, with which it shares identical authority, grandeur and a great deal of reverence from their subjects. Benin art is the art from the kingdom of benin or edo empire 14401897, a precolonial african state located in what is now known as the southsouth region of nigeria. More than 40 different ethnic groups have settled in benin throughout its history.
Baquaqua, 1854, full text in documenting the american south university of north carolina at chapel hill library peoples from senegambia, benin and the gold coast, in the abolition of the slave trade. The kingdom of benin, home of the edospeaking peoples, is located in the tropical rain forest region of what is now nigeria. The yoruba people of the southeast spread westwards from nigeria during the 12th century, while the fon and aja people in the southwest originally came from togo. Great empires of the past south african history online. The benin kingdom resource pack contains a complete unit of work with detailed lesson plans, teacher guides and pupil resources. The ancient kingdom of benin which is believed to be 2054yearold is considered one of the richest and most powerful kingdoms in the history of nigeria. Most people live on the small southern coastline on the bight of benin the official language of benin is french. In the benin kingdom the obas kings power is less than in centuries past, but the ideas underlying kingship persist, through myth and ritual, as a general cognitive model. Wealthy businessman and political novice patrice talon was elected to a fiveyear presidential term in 2016 on a cleangovernment platform.
Download file below museum visit resources for teachers. Thornton, 1988, tradition, documents, and the ifebenin relationship history in. It was located in presentday southern nigeria, east of the yoruba land and west of the niger river. The origin of benin and its early rulers kingdom of benin. This domain of the dead is in fact accessed by a great and varied. At as today the benin is one of the most recognise and well known city of edo state.
It is a country with a rich history, culture, art and numerous other considerable things. Downloadable planning pack based on the topic benin kingdom. The benin kingdom th 19th centuries as a megacommunity. An oba, or king, and his court have, from around 0 c. We can get an idea of the kingdom s grandeur and accomplishments from the bronze plaques commissioned by the kings obas to commemorate and record achievements during their reign. The women soldiers of dahomey elite troops of women soldiers, probably established in the early eighteenth century, contributed to the military power of the kingdom of dahomey in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Use it as an ongoing record of students learning during study of the topic. It shows the oba surrounded by his attendants and provides an opportunity both to explore the importance and status of the oba and the wealth and sophistication of the culture of benin.
It is an example of a type of object probably made specifically for european visitors to benin. The kingdom of benin in west africa internet archive. The kingdom of benin s capital was edo, now known as benin city in edo state. The benin people corrupted owomika to eweka and gave it as the title to oranmiyans son who thus became known to the benin people as eweka. Since the end of the 15th century, a great deal of material about benin has. Primarily made of cast bronze and carved ivory, benin art was produced mainly for the court of the oba of benin a divine ruler for whom the craftsmen produced a range of.
Republique du benin and formerly dahomey 19601975, is a country in west africa. Kingdom of benin history oba timeline 1200ad to present. Project muse contesting the history of benin kingdom. Ihogbe, the worshippers and recorders of the departed. The kingdom of benin, also known as the benin kingdom, was a precolonial kingdom in what is now southern nigeria. History of benin information powerpoint teacher made. In the online market, various books are available those provide proper knowledge about. Here is the history of benin kingdom, edo state nigeria. Great empires of the past series, you will find connections boxes. The great benin kingdom has been described as the center of nigerias development and with good reasons too. Benin was the seat of one of the great medieval african kingdoms called dahomey. This brass plaque dating from the sixteenth century was seized by british troops from the palace of the oba king of benin along with many other exquisite items made of brass, bronze, ivory, coral and wood. Teaching history with 100 objects the oba of benin. The history of benin kingdom cannot be accredited to one oba that rules the kingdom but a collection of different obas who at different times strengthened the kingdom through unparalled leadership style.
Within the kingdom, specialized artists belonged to guilds with hereditary membership and worked solely for the oba. Pdf of all the west african societies, the kingdom of benin is the. Anyone who has a benin bronze plaque should keep it but maintain it in good state. The kingdom of benin, also known as the benin kingdom, was a precolonial kingdom in what. The bariba and fula in the northeast arrived from mali in the 16th century. The benin british wars clash of two empires military might of benin empire west africa. The metropolitan museum of art, new york city, the michael c. A vivid picture these men took part in the expedition made by the british in 1897. They point out ideas, inventions, art, food, customs, and more from this empire that are still part of our world today. The kingdom of benin was also well known to european traders and merchants during the 16th and 17th centuries, when it became wealthy partly due to the slave trade. Further activities ideas can be found in the download file below this one.
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