English: Rooster, Benin kingdom court style, Edo peoples, Nigeria, 18th century, Copper alloy

This rooster displays the extensive use of surface patterns and the technical expertise in lost-wax casting that typifies the great works of the Benin kingdom court brass casters. The rooster in folklore, household and court life can be a sacrificial animal as well as a champion, the leader of the barnyard, and a spy, and is used in anti-poisoning charms. Its name is given to the king's senior wife, the one in charge of the women. This quality of dominance is important-in proverbs and rituals, the rooster must be mature enough to have developed spurs. It is possible rooster figures were once used on shrines dedicated to queen mothers or those queen mothers who were once senior wives, just as wood hens still appear on the altars to chiefs' mothers.

(National Museum of African Art)