Nigerian Edo People Pectoral Badge of Office
Collection: Spiritual Connections
Object Category: Religious Items
Object Type:
Country: Nigeria
Continent: Africa
Geographic Region: Western Africa
Materials: Bronze
width: 4.5 in;
height: 7 in;
depth: 2.25 in
This is a Nigerian Edo People pendant. A pendant such as this would have been owned by chiefs and titleholders of the Benin kingdom. The mask represents the face of the king, or "oba," himself. A chief would wear such a mask suspended from the neck to indicate rank and demonstrate fealty to the king.
Created at the court by royal brass casters, such works were distributed by the oba to newly incorporated chiefs.
Source:
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/316521