Italiano
Commemorative head of a Queen Mother
From Benin, Nigeria, early 16th century AD
Queen Idia
Queen Idia, mother of Oba Esigie, king of Benin from the late
fifteenth to the early sixteenth century, played a key role in her
son's military campaigns against the Igala people, which may have
been over control of the Niger waterway. Benin finally won these
wars and made the Igala king a vassal of the Oba.
Oba Esigie also fought an internal battle with his brother,
Arhuaran, over the establishment of a capital city. Oba Esigie was
based in the capital, Benin City, but Arhuaran sought to establish
another large important city, Udo, as the main centre. Brass
casters of Benin were taken to Udo to work until Oba Esigie won the
war.
A brass head representing Queen Idia was made to be placed in
her altar following her death. It is said that Oba Esigie
instituted the title of Queen Mother and established the tradition
of casting heads of this type in honour of her military and ritual
powers. Such heads were placed in altars in the palace and in the
Queen Mother's residence.
P. Girshick Ben-Amos, The art of Benin (London, The British Museum Press, 1995)