King's Mark
The King’s Mark primarily refers to a marking carved on elephant tusks in the form of two serif ‘I’ letters placed side by side. The marks served as a clear declaration of the royal court’s ownership of these tusks and underscored the Ọba’s key role in controlling trade relations, especially concerning ivory. Historically, the Ọba held a near monopoly on ivory, being entitled to one tusk from every elephant slain within the kingdom. This established ivory as a direct symbol of the Ọba’s power and wealth.
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