Odigba (coral-beaded collar) is a rigid neck collar made of coral beads, worn as part of ceremonial attire only by senior princes who have been made Enigie (Inneh 2007, p. 107). Although Ibafe (2007, p. 43) argued that the Odigba was introduced during the Ogiso period (c. 900–c. 1170 AD) by Ogiso Ere, along with other symbolically important Emwin Arhe, such as the Ada (ceremonial sword) and the Ẹbẹn (ceremonial sword), this seems unlikely, as coral was only introduced in the late 15th century through trade with Portuguese merchants.

Ẹbẹn are a type of ceremonial sword of significant importance in the Benin Kingdom. During ceremonies, titled chiefs would hold them or toss them during dances, thereby paying homage to the Ọba at these public events, particularly when a chief receives a certain status. It is forbidden for Ẹbẹn to touch the ground, so the chief must take extra precautions to avoid dropping the Ẹbẹn during the dance. Therefore, the Okae-Odionmwan (head of executioners) dances with the Umozo (warfare or executioner’s sword) behind the dancing chief.

There are two central ceremonial swords used in the royal court of the Benin Kingdom, one of which is the Ẹbẹn, along with the Ada (ceremonial swords). They are distinguished by their blades: the Ẹbẹn blade reflects the shape of a leaf or an oar. Sometimes, it is decorated with openwork designs and/or brass inlays, most commonly shaped as small Ẹbẹn and Ẹkpẹn (leopards). The handle of the Ẹbẹn also has an unusual ring-shaped form, which further differentiates it from the Ada.

The Udahae is a forehead band made from coral beads and worn by chiefs. Sometimes a white Igan (feather) from the Oɛɣohɔ (vulturine fish eagle) is tucked into the left side of the Udahae. According to Benin oral tradition, the Udahae was introduced by Ọba Ezoti, the first son of Ọba Ewuare I. During his coronation, Ezoti was shot in the forehead with a poisoned arrow. To stop the bleeding, a band of red beads was wrapped around his forehead while he made public appearances. Fourteen days later, he died from his wound. Since then, Benin chiefs have worn the red-beaded Udahae around their foreheads to commemorate the cap used by Ezoti to stop the bleeding (Egharevba 1968, p. 21).

Agbada is a type of short sword with a double-edged blade, used by warriors in hand-to-hand combat ( ; ; Ọbazee 2025, p. 10). Warrior figures carrying Agbada are often depicted on the Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (bronze relief plaques), both in scenes of combat and in ceremonial contexts.

Ọba gha ye Ivie gie ọwan, ẹ ghi tama rẹn ehe nọ gha bae yi (When the Ọba gifts you a bead, he doesn’t tell you how to wear it) (Daniel Inneh, pers. comm., 27 September 2025).

Iviawẹ (also spelled ĺvîowẹ) are coral-beaded anklets, often worn stacked together (Aigbe 1985, p. 28; Okpokunu, Agbontaen-Eghafona & Ojo 2005, p. 162; Ọbazee 2025, p. 279). Many of the figures depicted on the Emwin Arhe (royal treasures) in brass, bronze, ivory, and wood are shown wearing these. According to Daniel Inneh (pers. comm., 27 September 2025), beads were sent to people whom the Ọba wished to honour, although there was no directive on how to wear them.

Mostly, people who wear Iviawẹ are identified as palace chiefs or priests and priestesses. However, today anyone can wear them as cultural identifiers or fashion pieces.

Ukpan obọ ọkpa is a single baldric worn diagonally across the torso, from the left shoulder to the right hip. Barbara Blackmun described these baldrics as an “Ẹkpẹn band,” worn by figures as “a sign of distinction” ( ).

The Ukpẹ ọkhọkhọ is a distinctive hairstyle and coral-beaded headdress worn by the Iy’Ọba. The headdress includes a projection called the ‘ede Iy’Ọba’, which indicates that “her spiritual potentialities are closer in quality to those of her ruling son than they are to the powers of the nobles” (Aigbe Eson and Ihama Iguneronmwon in Blackmun 1991, p. 60). The Iy’Ọba’s hairstyle and headdress are meant to resemble ukpe-okhue, or the curved parrot’s beak (Kaplan 1993).

Barbara Blackmun (1991, p. 60) argued that “Benin art is multivocal, and any depiction of the Iye Ọba [sic] is a reference to Idia. Every woman who holds the office of lye Ọba plays the part of Idia, the ideal model of an Ọba’s mother.” Wearing the Ukpẹ ọkhọkhọ is one of the ways the Iy’Ọba plays the role of Idia.

Ikele is a single stiff string or circlet of coral beads. It is worn by chiefs, such as senior chiefs who have been made Enigie (Inneh 2007, p.107), and is a sign of nobility and rank. The Ikele may only be worn once the Ọba has conferred a person with the right to wear the beads, and the Ikele must always be worn when appearing before the Ọba. According to Ekhaguosa Aisien (in Plankensteiner 2007, cat. nr. 301, p.512) when a chief is wearing the Ikele, they may not eat nor drink in public, and they “constitute an embassy of the Benin Palace wherever he might be.”