The elephant was probably the most important royal animal in large parts of Africa. In Benin, the king had an economic monopoly on ivory and received one of the tusks from each animal hunted. They were considered charged with spiritual power and could only be touched safely by certain dignitaries. This one is richly carved and comes from the royal palace. Among other things, it depicts the fish-tailed King Ohen traveling into the realm of the water god Olokun, pulled by two crocodiles. It fits that the tusks were also considered a symbol of the court of Olokun (the god of water, wealth and beauty), who resides in the otherworld like the Oba (king) in this world. Text: Dietmar Neitzke.