Final answer:
The Altar to the Hand for Warrior-chief Izumo Elena was made of cast brass, crafted using the significant lost wax method by skilled artisans in the brass crafters' guilds, signifying the importance and status in the Benin kingdom.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Altar to the Hand (ikegobo) for Warrior-chief Izumo Elena is made of cast brass. This powerful artifact was a product of the advanced metallurgical skills practiced by the Igbo and the Edo (Benin) people. The lost wax method was a significant technique that allowed artisans to create intricate designs in metal, a skill that the brass crafters' guilds, known as igun eronmwon, specialized in and revered for. These highly skilled craftsmen created artifacts that not only embodied the culture's artistic expression but also served important ceremonial and ritualistic purposes.
The Benin Kingdom's rich traditions in metalwork were predominantly focused on bronze and brass, with these materials signifying prestige and longevity. Artifacts produced for the Oba or royalty, such as the altar pieces, were often made of brass or bronze to symbolize their importance and to endow them with a sense of timelessness that other materials like wood or terracotta could not provide. The artworks commissioned by the Oba included many ceremonial objects that reinforced social and spiritual hierarchies within the kingdom.