. A good part of the ancient Kingdom was burnt down, the royal palace and sacred rooms were sacked. The colonial officers who raided the Oba’s palace and sacred rooms couldn’t believe what they discovered in the royal rooms. They discovered thousands of antiques, rare brass/bronze sculptures, and carvings dating back to the 15th centuries and some to the beginning of the Kingdoms’ existence. These sculptures that proved hundreds of year’s civilization were embodied in different artworks.
Historians and scholars were able to draw out two important notes when Iyoba Idia died: the Oba’s place in the Benin art industry, and also the relevance and presence of the royal carvers who lived within the Palace walls. Although the Iyoba Idia Mask was made out of Ivory , other guilds of artisans and artists existed around the Benin royal court.
The responsibility of creating these Bronze/Brass artworks solely rest on the shoulders of the craft masters on “Igun Street”- A UNESCO World Heritage Site and cultural and traditional headquarters for Bronze craft masters of the Benin Kingdom. The street is just a stone throw from the popular Ring Road roundabout, where you have the Benin National Museum.