Benin Mask

Mask,  probably 16th century AD from  Benin, Nigeria.

Now to be seen in the British Museum, London, this mask was originally looted from the Oba's palace in Benin  1897, by  the British in  a “Punitive Expedition” when they attacked Benin City in a bid to control trade in the area. The British  deposed  the Oba (King) of Benin, burnt down his palace and looted the extenisve collection of Bronze and ivory objects from  the palace. The Museum resolutely refuses to return their superb collection of exquisite Benin artefacts to Nigeria.