MAGNETIC BOARD QUIZ

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Benin bronzes Quiz

Answer the questions, win the quiz... then FIND THE PLAQUE!

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Ethnologisches Museum

British Museum

Which of these museums holds the LARGEST collection of Benin objects in the world?

Question 1/10

Benin National Museum

10%

Next

Holding 944 objects, the British museum has the biggest collection of Benin objects in the world.

CORRECT!

Wood

Brass

Iron

Which material was used to create most of the Benin Bronzes?

Question 2/10

Bronze

20%

Next

While commonly known as the "Bronzes", the pieces are actually made mostly of brass.

RIGHT!

150 ft

100 ft

180 ft

They stretched over 16,000 kilometers, but how TALL were the walls around Benin City in the 1800s?

Question 3/10

80 ft

30%

Next

The walls around Benin City were, on average, 150 ft tall, or around 46 metres!

WELL DONE!

Emperor Palpatine

Nana

Oba

What was the ruler of the Kingdom of Benin called?

Question 4/10

Atse

40%

Next

The Oba was the traditional ruler, and the majority of the population was only able to see him in person ONCE A YEAR!

CORRECT!

Fancy bookends

Toys and/or frisbees

Decorating street signs

What was the main purpose of the brass plaques for the Edo people in the 1800s?

Question 5/10

To remember past rulers

50%

Next

Decorating the Oba's grand palace, the plaques were designed to remember past rulers, and were often used on their altars.

Right!

Animals

Trees

Money

Which of these was shown the MOST on the Benin Bronzes in the British Museum?

Question 6/10

Food

60%

Next

Important to religion and politics in Benin, power was often shown through animals, like leopards or rams, which would be sacrificed at an Oba's altar.

THAT'S RIGHT!

1894

1897

1848

In what year were the Benin Bronzes looted by British soldiers and taken from the Kingdom?

Question 7/10

1789

70%

Next

After the large-scale military expedition to Benin City in 1897, thousands of objects were taken as 'spoils of war'.

EXACTLY!

(the answer can be found in the BRASSCASTING section of the British Museum... or take a guess!)

Recycled old helmets

Weapons from the USA

Elephant tusks

What was melted down to make the Benin Bronzes?

Question 8/10

European brassware/jewellry

80%

Next

Portuguese manillas, or arm bracelets, were melted down and used to cast many Benin objects!

RIght!

2,000

800

1,100

How many Benin objects did German museums return to Nigeria in 2022?

Question 9/10

500

90%

Next

That's right! In 2022, 1,100 objects from the Kingdom of Benin were returned to Nigeria by German museums.

YES!

82%

34%

44%

Roughly what percentage of Benin objects are CURRENTLY held in Nigeria?

Question 10/10

28%

Go to the next slide to see the real plaque!

Next

Alongside the 400 objects originally in the national museums, the 1,100 objects returned from Germany mean Nigeria holds 1,500 Benin objects.

RIGHT!

can you find this plaque in the museum?

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