A team of researchers in Benin City has discovered a set of copper-threaded ceramic chalices within the foundations of an early royal structure. The vessels, which date back nearly a millennium, show traces of fermented palm wine and rare botanicals used to flavor ceremonial beverages.
The positioning of the chalices suggest they were used during the earliest iterations of "Oba-Greeting" festivals, where the divine ruler’s authority was reaffirmed through communal libations. This find highlights the long-standing intersection of metallurgy, agriculture, and political ritual in the West African forest kingdoms.