Do you know what Benin bronzes actually depict? #BeninBronzes #BronzeArt #Nigeria #Repatriation

Added: 2026-05-16

[00:00:00]These are some of the Benin Bronzes. You may have heard of them as part of the ongoing calls for their repatriation from European museums back to Nigeria.

[00:00:07]But do you know what they actually depict? Usually the story of the Benin Bronzes focuses on the British expedition that sacked the city of Benin in the late 19th century, stealing thousands of cultural artifacts and ending the 600-year dynasty of the Edo Kingdom. But it's equally important to talk about the meaning and symbolism of the thousands of bronze sculptures that are now scattered around the world.

[00:00:28]These incredible sculptures feature everything from battle victories, hunting scenes, members of the Edo royal family, animals, and Portuguese soldiers? From as early as the 15th century, the Kingdom of Benin and Portugal were trading partners. The Portuguese would sail to West Africa with firearms and textiles and trade them for pepper, animal skins, and enslaved people. This bronze shows a European soldier surrounded by manillas, which was a form of currency used widely in West Africa made of bronze or copper, which the Portuguese began producing themselves in Europe to trade with the Kingdom of Benin. Artists in Benin also began producing objects to export to Europe, like this set of four salt cellars carved from ivory, which feature Europeans in their doublet and hose, Christian symbols, and Portuguese sailing ships, which offer us an important insight into how this African kingdom saw their European trading partners in the early modern era.