Benin, or the Kingdom of Benin, was a kingdom within what is now southern Nigeria and home to the Edo people

an artefact is an item of historical interest made by people in the past

Nigeria is a large West African country situated on the Atlantic Ocean

a heritage is the history, traditions, and artefacts that are handed down by previous generations

repatriation means to send something back to the country it came from

The Benin Bronzes

History

Benin City

The Oba of Benin

Edo religion

Benin and Europe

Why arguments have broken out about the Benin Bronzes

In ‘Non-European societies: Benin or the Maya’ pupils are encouraged to compare and contrast their understanding of Anglo-Saxon England with a non-European society that was roughly contemporaneous. In ‘Significant turning points: how did experiences differ during WW2?' Pupils extend their chronological understanding by studying the significant turning point of WW2.

In ‘The Vikings: how did Viking settlement help to make England?’ pupils studied the political narrative of how Viking settlement helped to forge England. In ‘Non-European societies: Benin or the Maya’ pupils are encouraged to compare and contrast their understanding of Anglo-Saxon England with a non-European society that was roughly contemporaneous.

If pupils study Benin, they learn about Benin's culture and society and how its looted artworks have caused modern controversy. If they study the Maya, they build knowledge of this civilisation to analyse what made them so distinctive.

Non-European societies: Benin or the Maya

Depiction of war, threats of war, death or the aftermath of war.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

In which modern-day country was the kingdom of Benin located?

The Benin Bronzes are all made of pure bronze.

The bronzes were mostly created between the 13th to 16th centuries.

The bronzes were discovered recently in Nigeria.

They show pictures and symbols that tell stories about the history of Benin.

Which statements about the Benin Bronzes are correct?

Who took the Benin Bronzes when they invaded the city in 1897?

Complete the sentence. The history, traditions and artefacts that are handed down by previous generations are called a...

Which museum in London houses and displays hundreds of the Bronzes?

The artefacts are an important part of their historical and cultural heritage.

They are worth a lot of money and could make the country wealthy.

To share the artefacts with everyone in their own country. 

They believe that the artefacts were stolen from their country.

Which of the following are reasons why Nigeria have asked for the Benin bronzes to be repatriated?

What are the conclusions that historians draw about people, places and events from the past called?

True or false? Historians’ accounts of the past are always completely true. 

Which of the below do historians interact with to find out about the past?

Which of these are ancient civilisations?

the long-lasting impact of a historical event, action, person or people

the wealth left behind by a family member to a different person 

the short-term impact of a historical event, action, person or people

What is the correct meaning of the term 'legacy'?

What is a person who excavates sites and examines artefacts and other physical remains called?

The Benin Bronzes

Lesson outcome

Content guidance