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How did Benin artists show the importance of an oba in ivory carvings?
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ivory carving
Kinugumiut Inupiat incised walrus ivory shaman's figure, c. 1890; in the National Museum of the American Indian, George Gustav Heye Center, Smithsonian Institution, New York City.
In the kingdom of Benin, ivory carving served as a vital medium for documenting the legacy and authority of the oba (king). Artists employed several specific techniques to emphasize the oba's supreme status:
- Symbolic Regalia: Carvers used established motifs to ensure the oba was immediately recognizable, most notably by depicting his distinctive lattice-patterned crown and ceremonial regalia.1
- Hierarchical Scale: To visually underscore the oba's importance, artists utilized hierarchical scale, a common artistic device where the most significant figures are depicted as larger than those around them.1
- Narrative Registers: Ivory tusks, which were placed atop brass altar heads, featured intricate carvings organized in registers. These were read from bottom to top and depicted key events from the reign of the commemorated oba, effectively serving as a historical record of his leadership.21
- Material Significance: Because ivory was highly prized and symbolized the strength and wisdom of the elephant, its use in royal art reinforced the oba's own perceived power and purity.1