Pre-construction archaeology reveals Benin City’s historic urban development and heritage

Archaeological excavations in Benin City, Nigeria, ahead of the construction of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), have uncovered previously unexplored areas of the historic pre-colonial palace of the Kingdom of Benin, shedding light on the urban development and renowned craft practices of the powerful West African kingdom.

Benin City was the capital of the Kingdom of Benin: an influential empire that traded across Africa and beyond, impressing visitors from around the world, particularly with its masterful handicrafts such as the iconic Benin Bronzes.

However, the royal palace in Benin City, seat of the Oba (king), was destroyed and looted in 1897 AD during a British raid, wiping out the kingdom and transforming it into a center of colonial occupation.

As modern Benin City continues to expand, new buildings are planned in the area where the destroyed areas of the historic palace once stood. Working ahead of construction, a partnership team comprising MOWAA, the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) and the British Museum is excavating the historic palace site for the first time in 50 years, providing new insight into the history of this influential kingdom. Their results are published in Antiquity.

“We know that we cannot stop development: roads must be built, houses must be built. But while we are developing and building, we must also ensure that cultural heritage is not destroyed,” says Segun Opadeji, MOWAA’s head of archeology on the project. “We cannot progress without understanding the past; you must protect your past so that the two can be linked.”

The MOWAA Institute itself is one of the buildings being constructed here and will therefore, fittingly, provide a facility for storage, conservation and research into West African archaeology, including discoveries made during this project.

“The archaeological project is paving the way for the MOWAA Institute, and it is quite unusual to see, directly from your work, a new building and a new institution being developed,” said Dr Sam Nixon, the British Museum’s head of research on the project. “This is a really important new initiative. It’s really important that the British Museum comes together to support this and we look forward to continuing this collaboration.”

Researchers have uncovered an archaeological sequence stretching from before the founding of the Benin Kingdom through its fall and post-colonial development, establishing the most comprehensive architectural sequence of Benin City to date and finding evidence of artisanal activity, including Benin’s famous metalwork.

As well as providing an unprecedented opportunity to trace the city’s urban development, these discoveries have significant implications for our broader understanding of West Africa’s past, shedding light on architecture, craft practices, trade, food and much more.

By supporting the development of the new world-class MOWAA Research Institute, the project provided state-of-the-art equipment for the new archaeological team and facilitated the training of early-career researchers in Nigeria. Another important aspect of the project was raising awareness among local communities, including schools, thereby helping to perpetuate West African heritage into the future.

“I think for MOWAA the outcome has been part of the aim of the project from the beginning, which was to create a center of excellence for heritage and its management,” concludes lead author and MOWAA Research Lead on the project, Professor Caleb Folorunso.

“It will be a place where people can come and interact, especially those from West African countries. The facilities we hope to put in place will attract people from all over Africa and also help people to conduct research immediately, instead of looking abroad for sample analyses.”