Final answer:
The Roped Pot from Igbo-Ukwu was likely commissioned by the leader of Igbo-Ukwu. This conclusion is based on the societal structure of the Igbo, where local leaders played significant roles in religious and cultural expressions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Roped Pot from Igbo-Ukwu, Nigeria, is believed to have been dedicated to a royal altar and commissioned by the leader of Igbo-Ukwu. This is deduced from the context of Igbo history and culture, which was centered around autonomous villages led by a respective leader. During the fifteenth century, across various city-states including Benin, leaders known as obas played significant roles in commissioning works of art or items for various purposes.
The Queen Mother Pendant Mask is an example of such commissioned work, known to have been created to honor Esigie’s mother, Queen Idia, who received great recognition for her contributions to her son's military victories by providing political counsel and medicinal knowledge. Thus, the Queen Mother Pendant Mask highlights the importance and respect given to the royal women, particularly the creation of the iyoba position.
On the other hand, the Roped Pot, although not as definitively linked to a particular individual as the Queen Mother Pendant Mask, can be attributed to the leader of Igbo-Ukwu based on the societal structure and practice of the Igbo people, where the Exe Nri or a local leader would have likely played a role in commissioning and dedicating such items for religious or cultural purposes.