An Uhunmwu-Elao commemorative head of an Ọba, in the style of Benin, casted in bronze, iron inlays as pupils, regalia of coral beads, a cap-like crown and a high collar of coral necklaces, symbolizing the power and dignity of the Oba. Different layers of encrusted oxidations. Please note that without any laboratory tests, the attribution and datation is provided for reference only, based on our expertise in the field. Therefore, the piece stays subject to authentication. Elaborate coral bead regalia, including a high, tiered headdress and densely layered collar, signals royal status and controlled access to wealth and trade goods, while also emphasizing the head as the locus of identity and spiritual force in Edo belief. Such heads were typically placed on altars dedicated to deceased Queen Mothers, where they served as focal points for ritual offerings and acts of remembrance, reinforcing the continuity between the living Oba and his maternal lineage. In the Benin kingdom, the Iyoba, or mother of the oba (king), occupies an important and historically significant place within Benin's political hierarchy. The title was first conferred upon Idia, the mother of king Esigie, who used her political skill to save her son's kingdom from dissolution in the late fifteenth century. Ever since that time, queen mothers have been considered powerful protectors of their sons and, by extension, the kingdom itself. Because of the enormous esteem in which they are held, iyobas enjoy privileges second only to the oba himself, such as a separate palace, a retinue of female attendants, and the right to commission cast brass sculptures for religious or personal use. After the death of an Oba, an altar was built for him in a closed courtyard of the Benin palace. One of the most important objects on these altars were memorial heads of the deceased cast from brass.A carved ivory tusk once rose from the calotte of these commemorative heads. Extensive rituals and regular sacrifices at this altar by the successor confirmed his ties to the royal ancestors and increased his spiritual power. See Digital Benin, the Uhunmwu-Elao commemorative heads. Resources: Felix von Luschan, Die Altertümer von Benin, Band 1, Berlin 1919, S. 355-358. Philip J. C. Dark: An introduction to Benin art and technology, Oxford 1973, S. 95. William Fagg, Bildwerke aus Nigeria, München 1963, S. 44. Armand Duchateau Benin. Kunst einer Afrikanischen Königskultur, München 1995, S. 45-53. The Met Museum