Benin art is the art from the Kingdom of Benin or Edo Empire (1440–1897), a pre-colonial African state located in what is now known as the Southern region of Nigeria. Primarily made of cast bronze and carved ivory, Benin art was produced mainly for the court of the Oba of Benin – a divine ruler for whom the craftsmen produced a range of ceremonially significant objects. The full complexity of these works can be appreciated through the awareness and consideration of two complementary cultural perceptions of the art of Benin: the Western appreciation of them primarily as works of art, and their understanding in Benin as historical documents and as mnemonic devices to reconstruct history, or as ritual objects. This original significance is of great importance in Benin. Importance of art in Benin culture The Kingdom of Benin is powerful, but Benin culture has not been given proper recognition by western scholars. The story of how the Kingdom of Benin began as a culture and nation starts with the origin story: A motionless man was floating on water when he heard a voice from a spirit saying, "Open your eyes". As soon as the man opened his eyes he became one with the spirit. Soon after a whip and snail shell appear beside him, and the man then decided to whip the terrain he was on. A golden orb appeared, and this golden orb, which would later be known as the sun, brings happiness and warmth to the man. Again, the man struck his whip to the earth, and this caused forests and wildlife to appear before him. Yet again, the man struck the earth with his whip, and a village full of people appeared. He then became known as the Lord from the Sky. As a result, he ordered the village to build a mound of earth painted white that would serve as a remembrance of his power and creation. He then recognized a man as the priest, and he ordered that the priest must always wear white.The story of the origin of Benin was not transferred through literature or writings. In fact, Benin as a culture was based on oral tradition: all of the history and stories we know of today from Benin were passed along from person to person from generation to generation. The so-called Benin bronzes (they are actually made of brass) and other artwork are