The Benin Moat (Edo: Iyanuwo),[1] also known as the Benin Iya, or Walls of Benin, are a series of massive earthworks encircling Benin City in Nigeria's Edo State. These moats have deep historical roots, with evidence suggesting their existence before the establishment of the Oba monarchy. Construction began around 800 AD and continued until 1460 AD, involving large-scale manual labour and the repurposing of earth from the inner ditch to build the outer berm. Some traditional sources claim that these earthworks spanned approximately 16,000 kilometres (9,900 mi), enclosing about 6,500 square kilometres (2,500 sq mi) of land, but very little remains today.
The Benin Moat served as defensive structures, with steep banks and a berm to deter invaders. Access to the city was controlled through nine gates. Today, remnants of the moats can still be found in Benin City, although urbanisation and land disputes pose challenges to their preservation. Recognised for their historical significance, the Benin Moat was added as an extension to the existing World Heritage Site of the Royal Palaces of Abomey in 1995 (though still awaiting official recognition by UNESCO), and was acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records in 1974 as one of the world's largest man-made structures by length, second only to China's Great Wall. It was described by Olfert Dapper in his book Description of Africa in 1668 as the Great Walls of Benin.
^Ebegbulem, Simon (25 March 2011). "National monument,Benin moat...On the edge of extinction". Vanguard News. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
The BeninMoat (Edo: Iyanuwo), also known as the Benin Iya, or Walls of Benin, are a series of massive earthworks encircling Benin City in Nigeria's Edo...
palace he commanded the building of Benin's inner wall, and 11-kilometre-long (7 mi) earthen rampart girded by a moat 6 m (20 ft) deep. This was excavated...
protection. The Walls of Benin were a combination of ramparts and moats, called Iya, used as a defence of the capital Benin City in present-day Edo State...
Benin Kingdom's welfare and security was evident in his initiatives to fortify Benin City, including the construction of the first and second moats....
other metal works). Other attractions include various festivals and the BeninMoats (measuring about 20 to 40 ft), the King's Square (known as Ring Road)...
months, engaging in serious creative writing. In 2013, he visited the BeninMoat as the representative of UNESCO in recognition of the Naija seven Wonders...
inner walls made of earthwork and moats. In the 1974 edition of the Guinness Book of Records, it described the Benin City walls as the largest earthwork...
Benin Altar Tusks (Edo: Aken’ni Elao) are ivory artefacts from the Benin Kingdom in present-day Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. These tusks date back...
[citation needed] BeninMoat Art of the Kingdom of BeninBenin Bronzes Omoregie, Henry (8 May 2021). "The Myth and Mystery Of Igun Street, Benin City". alice...
organizations. One of the least known of the seven wonders of Nigeria sites, the Beninmoat was visited by UNESCO led by Prof.Wole Soyinka, and former Director General...
language, ISO 639-3 code "iya" Iya, the term in the Edo language for the BeninMoat IYA may refer to: International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) This disambiguation...
Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 2019-09-16. "Alaghodaro: Edo to remodel BeninMoat, develop Sokponba Resort for tourism". Vanguard News. 2017-11-05. Retrieved...
Oba of the Benin Empire from 1440 until 1473. Ewuare became king in a violent coup against his brother Uwaifiokun which destroyed much of Benin City. After...
conquered the Ekiti and Akure kingdoms and built the first moat around Benin City. He expanded the Benin Empire to the west and east, and increased its control...
forest ecosystem of the Benin Empire. They created a pre-Esan, pre-Edo society that built advanced structures such as moats and walls around family properties...
present-day Esanland by building a moat around the City. Most of these immigrants during this wave were from Idumoza of Benin City. At about the same time as...
forest ecosystem of the Benin Empire. They created a pre-Esan, pre-Edo society that built advanced structures such as moats and walls around family properties...
feet in the plateau region of central Edo State, 100 kilometres north of Benin City, the capital of Edo State, Nigeria. Ewu city comprises the communities...
fortified Benin's borders against external threats, including the Fulani, the Kingdom of Dahomey and Britain, constructing forts, walls, moats, roads, bridges...
was well known for its city wall, the remains of which can still be seen Benin City Kano Keffi Bizerte Hammamet Kairouan Monastir Sfax Sousse Tozeur Tunis...
served as a safe berth for Portuguese ships. Whereas the upper part has a moat, underground water storage chamber, gunpowder room, lighthouse, and bastions...
of castle architecture were military in nature, so that devices such as moats evolved from their original purpose of defence into symbols of power. Some...
Hagenbeck designed enclosures with concrete "rocks", more open space and a moat instead of bars, more closely resembling a natural habitat. Hagenbeck designed...
America) by Didrik Pining and João Vaz Corte-Real. The city walls and defensive moat are built in Celje, Slovenia. Almanach cracoviense ad annum 1474, an astronomical...
Museum Akure, National Museum Asaba, National Museum Bauchi, National Museum Benin, National Museum Birnin Kudu, National Museum Calabar, Slave History Museum...
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