A small leopard head

A small leopard head carved of bone in the style of Benin, with an attachmen eyelet on the back. These small leopard carvings were sewn onto the garments of high-ranking nobles and, in their multitude, expressed symbols of special power. They are rare and almost impossible to find.

The small leopard carvings that were sewn onto the garments of high-ranking nobles in Benin served multiple symbolic and social functions. Primarily, they acted as status symbols, indicating the wearer’s rank, authority, and proximity to the Oba (king), as the leopard was associated with strength, power, and the king’s authority in Benin cosmology. These carvings also had a protective or spiritual function, as the leopard was considered a guardian and a representation of royal power that could ward off enemies or malevolent forces. Furthermore, their placement on ceremonial garments reinforced the ritual and political ideology of the court, emphasizing the Oba’s centrality and the hierarchical order of Benin society.

In short, they were simultaneously decorative, symbolic, and functional within the sociopolitical and religious framework of Benin.

Height: 6 cm
Weight: 30 g