How Did Benin And Portuguese Encourage Brass Casting

There is no doubt that the great communication between Benin and Portuguese encouraged the Benin people to develop their brass casting. However, Benin didn't have enough metal for such development although its people were the inventors of the molding of copper and zinc as well as the brass casting. Thus, the Portuguese supplied Benin with brass ingots shaped as bracelets and they were called manillas. These brass manillas were made and used as currency by countries such as modern Holland where they were sent to Benin and melted by the Benin craftsmen. The quantities of brass manillas sent to Benin were huge. Moreover, the Portuguese were apparent in the plaques with manillas in their hands. Oba was also apparent with his officials

The king was the most important person in the government and treated with great respect by his subjects. However, his rule was dependable on other chiefs who dominated the city and the villages where the people lived. The rule in Benin was divided into two parts; the king whose authority came to him by inheritance, and the town chiefs who were chosen for their personal characteristics and abilities. They were self-ruled and not governed by the king. Thus, they were depicted on the plaques as pangolins which are impenetrable to the leopards. This illustrates that they were protected from the authority of the king. There are also the head of the great figures such as queen Idea whose brass head was established on her alter after her death. This was regarded as recognition for her military and ritual effects upon the government of Benin. (The British Museum. Benin: an African kingdom). The document of the seventeenth century illustrates that Benin was a wealthy and major

Benin City enjoyed a great and skillful archeology which is apparent in the grandeur of the Oba's palace. The palace was great in shape and size. To demonstrate, it was as large as any city in Portugal at that time which led the Portuguese to respect the amazement of Benin civilization when they first saw it. In the middle of the palace and on a wooden roof, there was the tall tower which was decorated with an enormous brass snake. Right above the python there was the bird with its wings out-stretched. For its great archeological civilization, Benin was regarded as important as the capital cities of the most prominent countries in