Rostikol:
15th century drawing of Benin City by ancient Dutch Visitors

Rostikol:
This is the palace of the Oba of Benin before its destruction by British forces in 1897.

The palace was built in the 13th century.

It shows the traditional Benin Ikun courtyard architecture.

There were a total of 209 Ikuns at the palace. The picture shows about 24, which shows you how huge the palace was.

I actually checked Google Earth to investigate this, and you can see on Google Earth that the new, modern palace is there which everyone can see from the road.

But on Google Earth, looking from above, you can see the interior of the palace compound, and you will STILL SEE remnants of this building, several Ikuns - around 10 or so behind the current palace.

Benin city of course was described by visiting Europeans as one of the most beautiful and best planned cities on Earth, with street lighting (from palm oil fuelled steel lamps) and underground drainage, houses with paved courtyards, and even some paved streets (paved with raised, broken potsherds).

Royal Palace of the Oba of Benin, dated 13th century)

Rostikol:
The city was split into 11 divisions, each a smaller replication of the king’s court, comprising a sprawling series of compounds containing accommodation, workshops and public buildings – interconnected by innumerable doors and passageways, all richly decorated with the art that made Benin famous. The city was literally covered in it.

The exterior walls of the courts and compounds were decorated with horizontal ridge designs (agben) and clay carvings portraying animals, warriors and other symbols of power – the carvings would create contrasting patterns in the strong sunlight. Natural objects (pebbles or pieces of mica) were also pressed into the wet clay, while in the palaces, pillars were covered with bronze plaques illustrating the victories and deeds of former kings and nobles.

At the height of its greatness in the 12th century – well before the start of the European Renaissance – the kings and nobles of Benin City patronised craftsmen and lavished them with gifts and wealth, in return for their depiction of the kings’ and dignitaries’ great exploits in intricate bronze sculptures.

“These works from Benin are equal to the very finest examples of European casting technique,” [/b]wrote Professor Felix von Luschan, formerly of the Berlin Ethnological Museum. [b]“Benvenuto Celini could not have cast them better, nor could anyone else before or after him. Technically, these bronzes represent the very highest possible achievement.”

What impressed the first visiting Europeans most was the wealth, artistic beauty and magnificence of the city. Immediately European nations saw the opportunity to develop trade with the wealthy kingdom, importing ivory, palm oil and pepper – and exporting guns. At the beginning of the 16th century, word quickly spread around Europe about the beautiful African city, and new visitors flocked in from all parts of Europe, with ever glowing testimonies, recorded in numerous voyage notes and illustrations.


Lost world

Now, however, the great Benin City is lost to history. Its decline began in the 15th century, sparked by internal conflicts linked to the increasing European intrusion and slavery trade at the borders of the Benin empire.

Then in 1897, the city was destroyed by British soldiers – looted, blown up and burnt to the ground....

Nowadays, while a modern Benin City has risen on the same plain, the ruins of its former, grander namesake are not mentioned in any tourist guidebook to the area. They have not been preserved, nor has a miniature city or touristic replica been made to keep alive the memory of this great ancient city.

A house composed of a courtyard in Obasagbon, known as Chief Enogie Aikoriogie’s house – probably built in the second half of the 19th century – is considered the only vestige that survives from Benin City. The house possesses features that match the horizontally fluted walls, pillars, central impluvium and carved decorations observed in the architecture of ancient Benin.

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/mar/18/story-of-cities-5-benin-city-edo-nigeria-mighty-medieval-capital-lost-without-trace

Ogene001:

Lost without trace, everything written was just imagine, it never existed not to talk of being lost. Just a sponsor article. Even Egypt still have verifiable traces

Ogene001:

The drawing itself was not drawn in 15th century but only show Imagine scenes on 15th century. Be guided

Rostikol:


Even the English you're speaking, you're hopeless in.

''only show Imagine scenes on 15th century''

Pitifully uneducated village dunce.

''Imagined'' by whom, when, and why, please?

Frigging moro.n.

Ogene001:

Art is all about imaginations

Rostikol:


Can somebody please remove this blasted illiterate from this thread?

What a sad testament to how terribly our education system has deteriorated.

I heard they stopped teaching History in schools for some years now.

That's why we have this embarrassing caricature of an African disgracing himself here.

How brainwashed to self-hatred can you be to the point where even the colonialists' own media are reporting to you about your advanced pre-colonial civilization, and you're REJECTING it, saying ''No. My ancestors were not civilized, but primitive''?

I mean, it's just incredibly tragic the deep level of inferiority complex to which our people have sunk.

It's actually alarming.

Ogene001:

African should tell us their 21st century achievements before laying claim to any ancient civilization. Everything Benin using to boast was made possible by the Portuguese. Every other things before Portuguese is just fairytale

Rostikol:


Africa owes a village dunce like you absolutely NOTHING.

Ogene001:

Stop posting drawings. And fabricating exaggerated stories. That's the real inferiority complex

Ogene001:

When the drawer and drawee lived several centuries apart, it's imagination

Rostikol:


VILLAGE DROPOUT.

Rostikol:


Do you know the name of the drawer?

When was it drawn? Tell us.

Ogene001:

Real pictures of ancient civilization are everywhere, if painting is the only thing Benin has, they should respect themselves

Ogene001:

I think you should tell us

Ogene001:

Real pictures of ancient civilization are everywhere, if painting is the only thing Benin has, they should respect themselves

Rostikol:


Benin city was invaded, destroyed, bombed and burnt down by British forces in 1897 following a heavy war that killed thousands of Benin people and led to the king being exiled.

Are you even aware of that?

What the hell do you expect to find in a city that was destroyed by bombs and canon fire over a century ago?

Thebadpolitican:



This are Benin artitectire still found in Benin till date


People from other state laugh Benin for having this building around they call it mud houses
Saying Benin has too many mud houses around, if we yield to these words they won't Be anyone to see anymore

Rostikol:
A live size replical of classical Edo Architecture of Great Benin at the museum of traditional Nigerian architecture at Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Ogene001:

Story. Rome was sacked by the Vandals, Jerusalem was invaded by Nero, etc

Dummy dum dum. Did the vandals have artillery, bombs, guns and canon in the 3rd Century?

How the hell can you compare destruction of a city in 1897 with bow and arrow and machetes of the 3rd century?

Village dropout.

Go school you no gree.

Rostikol:
A live size replical of classical Edo Architecture of Great Benin at the museum of traditional Nigerian architecture at Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Gbogbowa:
With all the juju british still destroy those palace nawa o. After God fear Gun

Ogene001:

Normal normal for the rain forest region before European contact.

Rostikol:


Dummy dum dum. Did the vandals have artillery, bombs, guns and canon in the 3rd Century?

How the hell can you compare destruction of a city in 1897 with bow and arrow and machetes of the 3rd century?

Village dropout.

Go school you no gree.