The bronze head represents an idealised image of the queen mother – iyoba.
The tradition of the making of such figurines started in the kingdom of Benin in the late 15th and early 16th centuries with queen Idia, mother of king Oba Esigie, who played a key role in conquering ventures of her son, thanks to her political skills. Since that period, queen mothers take the second important place in the reigning hierarchy, directly after the king.
Memorial heads of queen mothers made part of the altars dedicated to ancestors. King heads differ by coral beads crowns, the upper top of which is turned forwards.
