Starter quiz
- The Kingdom of Benin began in the ______ Century.
- '11th' ✓
- The rulers of the Edo people were called...
- 'Obas' ✓
- Which of these best describes female rulers in the Kingdom of Benin?
- There were no female rulers; women were seen as too weak to rule.
- Women could rule on their own, as a queen, if there were no suitable men.
- If a king wasn't old enough to rule by himself, a woman would act as a regent. ✓
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- Oba ______ was considered a great leader by the people of the Kingdom of Benin.
- 'Ewuare' ✓
- The Oba was regarded as divine, as it was thought that he had a connection to the...
- afterlife
- gods ✓
- spirit world
- animal kingdom
-
- At their palace, the Obas would meet with their officials and conduct ______ ceremonies.
- 'religious' ✓
Exit quiz
- The Edo people believed that Osun was the god of...
- magic ✓
- love
- war
- medicine ✓
-
- A ______ is a god, goddess or supernatural being that some people worship and believe in.
- 'deity' ✓
- The British Museum currently holds a brass statue of Osun's...
- torso
- entire body
- head ✓
- arms
-
- The four birds on top of the British Museum's Osun statue’s head represent...
- Osun's protection and the ability the Oba had to make prophecies. ✓
- Osun's warriors and the Oba's magical ability to defeat and destroy his enemies.
- the Oba's power to bring destruction, like lightning.
-
- The snakes coming out of the nostrils of the British Museum's Osun statue’s head represent...
- Osun's protection and the ability the Oba had to make prophecies.
- Osun's warriors and the Oba's magical ability to defeat and destroy his enemies. ✓
- the Oba's power to bring destruction, like lightning.
-
- The thunder-stones on the head of the British Museum's Osun statue represent...
- Osun's protection and the ability the Oba had to make prophecies.
- Osun's warriors and the Oba's magical ability to defeat and destroy his enemies.
- the Oba's power to bring destruction, like lightning. ✓
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Some of the objects held by the British Museum can tell us about the Edo's religious beliefs.
- One brass statue is a head, decorated with animals, that was used during worship of the god Osun.
- Osun was the Edo god of medicine and magic and was believed to command the animals of the rainforest.
- The head represents how the Oba was believed to have magic powers like the gods; the birds represent prophesy.
- The snakes represent Osun's soldiers and the Oba's ability to use magic to destroy his enemies.
Common misconception
The Oba in Edo society was merely a religious figure.
While the Oba did have significant religious functions and was seen as having a special connection to the divine, his role also extended to that of political leader, responsible for governance, justice, and maintaining order within the kingdom.
Keywords
Deity - a deity is a god, goddess or supernatural being that some people worship and believe in
Prophecy - a prophecy is a prediction of the future
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