ARTICLE 1a

The powerful symbol of the tower, the brass serpent and the bird of prophesy ("AHIANMWẸ ỌRRỌỌ" - BIRD THAT NEUTRALIZES SHOCK) was a landmark before any of the invaders reached the shores of the Benin Empire. The tower was largely an elongated framework built from an inlay of wood, mud (a highly effective cooling architectural device and material) and straw over which scales of plaques are laid. This particular architectural structure served as one of the many gates of the palace at Benin City and depicts a sacred snake moving downwards over a set of plaques above which stands the Bird of Prophesy. Other interpretations, which includes the Ahianmwe Orroo as the neutralizer of thunder, indicates structural, architectural use of the symbol as both meaning, location and application. Such as, the location of the bird being both symbol and indicating radius (from which fluted calabashes or similar devices may have been planted) for the neutralization of electrical shock from lightening thunders.

So endeared were the people to the beauty of the architectural structure and the mystery of its symbol that many Benin artists, from time immemorial, copied and extended the architecture itself into their various plaques. The symbol of the tower, the snake and bird of prophesy became a favourite theme in the brass plagues (ie what is today collectively known as #BeninBronzes) and represents not only as Art and Edo Mystery but as well as historical documentation of buildings themselves and the recording keeping of actual environmental device mechanisms. The thunder neutralizer protects from harm. The imperial representation of Order and Place resides in the declared presence of the structure as itself.

The image below is of a recreation of the tower, the brass serpent and the bird of prophecy that was lost in the 1897 mass fire, looting and pillaging carried out by the British, and is currently standing at the Museum of Traditional Nigerian Architecture in Jos.