This mask is from the early sixteenth century and the mask symbolizes the legacy of the dynasty. During this time period in Benin, it was very rare to have an image of women. This mask was made for the king to honor his mother, which is why it was so rare and important. The color of the mask is ivory and represents ritual purity that they associate with the god of the sea, Olokun. The mask itself was known to attract Portuguese traders who brought wealth to Benin. There was a great relationship between the Edo people and the Portuguese. On the crown of the mask, there are knots that are meant to symbolize Portuguese merchants. The Portuguese merchants also represent the voyages that traveled to Benin. On the forehead of the mask, there are mudfish which represent the king's dual nature as being human and being divine. The mudfish were very important because they could live in water and on land. To the people of the Benin family, this mask represented how the dynasty was kept alive for so many years. The mothers of the family were in charge of raising the future king, with that comes a great deal of responsibility. That is why the mask was so important because it represented the strong women of the family and how it shows through the king, and to the people of Benin City. 

Sources

Dr. Christa Clarke, "Queen Mother Pendant Mask (Iyoba) (Edo peoples)," in Smarthistory, October 10, 2016, accessed February 26, 2021, https://smarthistory.org/queen-mother-pendant-mask-iyoba/.