THE QUEEN MOTHER

Head of Queen Mother

Edo, Benin City, Nigeria 16th century

Oba Esigie established the powerful position of Iyoba, Queen Mother, in the early 16th century in honour of his mother Idia who helped him defeat an invading army.

The Iyoba lives in her own court with its own chiefs at Uselu outside Benin City.

Only altars dedicated to previous Obas and previous Iyobas have commemorative heads cast in brass.
Only the Oba, the Iyoba and one hereditary war chief are permitted to wear coral headgear to denote their exceptional status.

This head has a peaked headdress of coral beads worn only by the Iyoba.