The belief that the ivory mask was the image of a woman was birthed in 1968 in the 3rd Edition of Jacob Egharevba's book 'Short History of Benin'. It was in that book the following female characters that nobody had ever heard or spoken of were mentioned: Idia, Iden, Edelenyo, and Ohonmin. You will find no document, folklore, nor song about them.
The average person that views the mask for the first time, without any influence, sees a man. That's because it is a man. If we look at all aspects of the image it is clear. It is no woman callee “Queen Idia”. For instance, at the chin and neck area you will notice that the person is wearing a chainmail. A chainmail is a type of body armor consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern. The armor in the Middle Ages in Europe by knights or horsemen.
The chainmail aspect is important in identifying the person.It, along with other aspects of the sculpture actually identifies it as Olu Dom Domingo of the Warri Kingdom. For instance, in a letter from King Philip of Portugal to his vice written on the 11th November 1609 wrote as one of his points that Domingo should be given full horsemen regalia. Here is the excerpt:
"On the third point, concerning the arms he requests, it is best to write to the Governor of Sao Tome, recommending him to have good communication with the said King of Warri, but without promising anything. But Dom Domingos should be given for himself a complete set of steel armour, a visor, an axe and a sword."
Photo 3 are images of a knight/horsemen in full armor, which includes a chainmail and in armor without the visor.
Dom Domingos (Atuwatse I) was said to have made Portuguese attire his official attire even so his son Dom Antonio Domingos kept this tradition going. Thomas Astly wrote the following in his book published in 1746:
"The King of Ouwerri is very absolute. He who reigned in 1644, was a mulatto, born of a Portuguese woman, married to King Mindo, and the said Prince was called Don Antonio Mingo: He always wore a Portuguese dress, and sword by his side."
On other aspects of the mask, at the top of the head of the mask you will notice the images of Europeans who appear to be soldiers. These appear to be the images of the horseman King Philip sent with Dom Domingo on his departure from Portugal back to Warri. In the same letter mentioned previously King Philip wrote the following in regards to horsemen and Domingos' departure:
"On the eight point, on the servants, men of my house, which he asks to take as horsemen, it is good that of those who were with him should take four of the said group, with a declaration that they are free from old age."
There is a mask that has only the horsemen at the top and there is one with horsemen and mudfishes.My interpretation is that the mask with the mudfish symbolizes Dom Domingos departure from Portugal (It was by sea and the mudfish is believed to be a guide and guardian of the sea). The mask with just the horsemen, in my estimation, symbolizes domingos arrival (he is now on land and at Warri so no mudfish depiction needed).
The use of ivory. Ivory was a symbol of the sea. It was mainly got and used in the riverine areas, which Warri is a part of. Ivory is also a symbol of wealth so with these two factors and the fact that Dom Domingos secured new trade deals during his 11 years in Lisbon it makes sense that ivory is used.
Lastly, the royal cap. The red royal cap even used till this day by monarchs in the Bendel region is visible in the image. This royal cap is only worn by males. This aspect alone rules out the mask as being that of a woman.
References:
1. www.domcentral.org.
2. Astley, Thomas (1746). "A New General Collection of Voyages and Travel".
3. Egharevba, Jacob (1968). "A Short History of Benin".
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