Bronze Head of Queen Idia (4/16)

The Bronze Head of Queen Idia is believed to be a commemorative bronze sculpture from medieval Benin that likely portrays Idia, the mother of Oba Esigie. The sculpture depicts a young woman from the Benin court wearing a high-pointed ukpe-okhue crown made of lattice-shaped red coral beads. It was created at the Benin court in the early 16th century using the lost wax casting technique. After the Benin Expedition of 1897-1900, many works of art from Benin were sold in the European art market. There are four known cast bronze heads of Queen Idia, all of which are now housed in the British Museum in London.