Brass

This brass staff, originally from Nigeria, Edo, in the Court of Benin, serves as an emblem of identity and status within Benin society. Comprising a long narrow blade to a lengthy handle, it features a pair of back-to-back figures at each end. Adorned with high coral-bead collars, wrapped skirts, and eben swords, these figures symbolize their own status as chiefs. Typically carried by representatives of the Oba during official duties, this staff embodies symbols of status, prosperity, and abundance, subtly alluding to the overarching power of the Oba within the kingdom.