This head of a deceased Benin queen would have played a vital role in the structure of their religious beliefs. She would have been placed in a special altar and sacrifices would have been offered in her honor. She has a commanding gaze with her large oval eyes. She is royally garbed in a coral beaded headdress that wraps around her head like a net. The mound in her headdress signifies the fact that this is a queen and not a king. Coral necklaces cover her neck and jaw, rising like a solid column up to her lips. A work such as this was the focal point of courtly Benin art. Deceased relatives were believed to play an active role in the lives of their ancestors and the community. They could, especially royal figures, rise to the levels of the gods. Thus this work is just a memorial to a lost queen, but an idol to be actively worshipped. Even in death, this queen retained the ability to shape the course of her kingdom.