The Benin Empire at the British Museum
Chart the rise and fall of the Benin Empire using its material culture to understand evolutions in the great state’s life and customs. NB this is an immersive course in African history using artefacts at the British Museum.
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- Start Date: 06 Dec 2025End Date: 06 Dec 2025Sat (Daytime): 10:30 - 15:30In PersonLocation: Off SiteDuration: 1 sessionCourse Code: HWH235Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00
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What is the course about?
This course introduces students to the history of the Benin Empire using the artefacts in the British Museum’s Africa collection. Centred around key items in the collection, students will learn about the rise of one of Africa’s leading civilisations, how Benin was organised politically, socially, and economically, and how it evolved in response to internal and external pressures. Key to this will be using the artefacts to explore various aspects of West African life and customs through the ages, with a particular focus on religious life, military traditions, and kingly image-making. There will also be an opportunity to reflect on the collection itself and how its acquisition and discussions about its future feed into Africa’s history.
Course image credit: Michel wal / CC BY-SA 3.0
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What will we cover?
The course will use the museum’s collection (subject to what’s on display) to explore topics such as:
- The origins of Benin.
- Edo city, its architecture, great wall, and guild system.
- Court life, religious life, and the role of the Oba (King), and the Iyoba (Queen Mother).
- The wider kingdom, military organisation, and imperial expansion and administration.
- Resistance to colonial rule, invasion, and the loss of the Bronzes.
- The Benin Empire today.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
By the end of this course, students should understand:
- Benin forms of government and social organisation from the sixteenth century onwards.
- political, social, economic, and military developments in Benin.
- the rise and fall of the empire.
- the origins and debates surrounding the museum’s Benin collection.
By the end of this course, students should have the ability:
- to chart the course of political, social, and economic developments across time and space.
- to comprehend and analyse complex historical topics.
- to engage with material culture.
- to discuss historical events critically and confidently.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
The course is suitable for complete beginners or those with a curiosity about the topic.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The course will take place at the British Museum and will be a mixture of lecture, exploring the collection, and group discussion focused on items in the collection.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
No. Pen and paper if you wish to take notes.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Please see the Africa area for any other courses running on African History based at the British Museum.