African Benin Bronze Royal Leopard 49

The leopard is central to the Benin creation myth and enjoys status comparable to that of the Oba (King). This Benin bronze Royal Leopard measures 35 inches tall and 10 inches wide at the shoulders. A hinge atop its head allows its face to open. The hinge on this antique bronze is broken but is missing no pieces and stays in place as shown in photo. It is cast in the traditional lost wax method in which the mold must be destroyed after each casting. Because of this, no two Benin bronzes are identical. From the 13th through the 19th century the Kingdom of Benin lay along the shore of the Atlantic ocean in modern day Nigeria. This prime trading location made Benin and its capital city Ile-Ife one of the wealthiest, most powerful African Kingdoms. They are world-renown for their distinctive bronzes - FREE US SHIPPING