Great Benin (Edo) Empire- Civilization

Great Benin (Edo) was one of the greatest empire-civilizations to have come out of West Africa, and one of the best in the then known world, which spanned nearly 1000 years (900-1897 CE). Situated in southern Nigeria (now Edo State), it created one of the finest empire-civilizations in history. Its influence was not confined to Nigeria but as far as Europe and the world at large. It is most known for its bronze, brass, and ivory artworks, which have overshadowed other important accomplishments, such as bureaucratic government, engineering, city-planning, and architecture (though its extensive network of walls is also very famous), economic production and output, and extensive trades, etc. Its artworks were so extensive and well accomplished that European countries and the US were busily auctioning and selling them at stupendous prices, with one bronze/brass art costing as much as £1,320,000. Europeans acquired some of these arts (particularly the ivory carvings) as luxury items and associated them with royalty and nobility as early as the 15th and 16th centuries. Benin (Edo) arts influenced European Renaissance artworks, and later artworks (especially of Germans, etc.). The Benin (Edo) Civilization goes head-to-head with the finest civilizations of the Middle Ages and Medieval Period, and goes ahead of many of the world’s best. This civilization must be studied and taught in schools.