A high-ranking warrior, his hand on the hilt of his sword, stands in the middle of this bronze plaque, part of a set of more than 800 that once decorated the pillars in the audience hall of the Oba, or king, of Benin. His helmet and the leather jerkin provide physical protection, while the warrior's bell tied around his chest is a marker of spiritual protection. The leopard face on his jerkin and the leopard-tooth necklace connect the warrior to the service of the Oba, who is often compared to a leopard. His high coral-beaded collar, called an odigba, is a gift from the Oba to important courtiers. The rich, layered textiles of his wrapper also signal the man's high rank. Half of the plaques made for the audience hall were narrow, like this one, and nearly all of the narrow plaques measure 19 centimeters wide. The floral decorations surrounding the figure are typical of this period of plaque production, but the way they are cut off on the left side is unusual. It is possible that the brass caster who formed the wax model for this plaque had to cut through the left side after he finished in order to ensure that the plaque fit the standard 19-centimeter dimension.

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