The so-called royal palaces are refl ections of another level of the Dahomean settlement system than the caves, since caves are not connected with palaces and have an altogether different distribution. Nevertheless, construc-tion at least of some of the caves could well have been by royal commission. Both types of features are also linked with the Dahomean infrastructure, the palaces mainly with the state high roads, like the one connecting Abomey with Allada, the caves with the village road-net. The ex-pansion of the Dahomean kingdom followed the main southern road - at fi rst to Allada, then Savi and Ouidah on the very coast, the main port of exportation of slaves in West Africa.

From the view of military defence, an enemy would seek up Abomey and the palaces (along the main roads) but miss most of the thousands of cave openings hidden in the savannah and forests. Incidentally, from written (and oral) sources it is predicted that the most threatening periods for Dahomey in terms of external attacks would have been the following decades: the 1670s, 1680s, 1720s, 1730s, 1740s, and perhaps the 1760s, the 1810s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, and the 1890s.

The following comprises a list and a short discus-sion of the architectural remains of the so-called palaces, which were, or even still is, owned by the members of Dahomean dynasties (Fig. 4.1, 4.8; Plate 13).

LIST OF ROYAL PALACES AND COM-POUNDSThe standard list of royal palaces or compounds at Abo-mey (e.g., Blier 1998) has been prolonged by the BDArch team by a private palace of the King Glélé (1856-1889) family, situated in the Ahouali quarter (Fig. 4.8).

South of Abomey, between Agnangnan and Zassa, is a double compound, comprising a royal palace of King Kpengla (1774-89) and a military barracks of Amazon fi ghters. The whole complex is orientated NE-SW. The total area is estimated to be around 15 ha (Fig. 4.1:19).

North of Abomey, at Sonou, are the remains of an old princely palace, recently restored to “Texas beauty” by Aho Glélé Justin, one the most powerful canton chiefs of the French administration (Fig. 4.1:15).

North of the village of Agbangnizoun are the ruins of a royal compound, locally known as “Annexe Roi Gué-zo” (Fig. 4.1:21). The compound is highly exceptional in that the outer walls - at the northern corner, and likely near a gate - are furnished with a rectangular tower, 3 x 5 m in plan (Plate 13:8). This tower is likely inspired by coastal Europeanised architecture; also, it is placed at the one part of the compound where visibility, due to the terrain, is the poorest. The compound is orientated NE-SW, the width (in N-S direction) being ca. 60 m, and the length ca. 80 m.

Besides royal palaces and compounds per se, oth-er royal structures can occasionally be identifi ed. In Abomey, in the quarter of Hounli, are the remains of outer walls which used to encircle a place for keeping slaves (stockage), presumably constructed under the reign of King Houégbadja (1645-1685) (Fig. 4.1:7). Only the southern wall has been investigated, extending over some 160 m. The remains are poorly preserved, but the area is still left unoccupied in recognition of royal ownership. Some parts of the wall are preserved up to 4 m in height. The measuring system of the wall segments is based on units of two and three foot (of 30 cm), indi-cating a potential not previously studied in Dahomean architecture.

Several culturally signifi cant features have been de-tected in the area of Hodja, south of Abomey. It is said locally, that Hodja was a settlement already before the time of King Houégbadja (1645-1685), who subjected the area into his state. An early date of Hodja is supported by fi nds of iron slag (cf. Chapter 15), although, according to a widely accepted tradition, the place is primarily linked with Kpengla (1774-89). At Toumé, a small village, one fi nds an important shrine centre. According to local oral information, this place was used for a Dahomean arsenal during the reign of King Kpengla. Kpengla is related to the place through numerous stories, one of these describ-ing in all details how King Kpengla married a man - a warrior - following a complete set of marriage rites, and later on commanded the person to establish the arsenal. The same person is also said to have conquered the king-dom of Kétu for the third time (BDArch video recordings have been made of this tale).

Catalogue 1. PALACES

PART VII. DOCUMENTATION

PART VII. DOCUMENTATION

Catalogue 1. PALACESList of Royal Palaces and Compounds

4

At Hodja, remains of a massive complex are to be seen (Fig. 4.1:20). Generally, only the outer walls, or their outlines, are preserved, since the internal space is now used intensively for cultivation of sweet corn and other crops. The total area occupies around 4 ha. Accord-ing to local informants, the remains are attributed to King Kpengla, who here constructed military barracks for the Amazons. There are other stories, however, recalling that the place was originally built for a royal palace at an older date, and later transformed into military barracks. 840 m S-SE from the ruins lie the caves of the site of Taudomè.

Also at Hodja is the village of Afomaï (cf. Chapter 15). This is situated at a sacred forest attributed to Yoru-bans. Ca. 100 m N-NE from the forest, house ruins were demonstrated by the villagers. The ruins are said to be the remains of the fi rst Yoruban house at the site. The walls stand to human height in several places, but are rather thin (15-20 cm). Unprotected by a roof, such walls usual-ly disintegrate after some decades. Therefore, a high age is unlikely. The structure probably had a special purpose, as can be deduced by the triangular shape of the open-ings, usually seen in ritual architecture. Several shards with maize decoration were found in the fi eld surround-ing the structure.

A royal palace compound has also been recorded at Sinwe-Légo (Fig. 4.1:22). Sinwé is known to have held political signifi cance from the earliest times of the Da-homean kingdom. According to le Herissé (le Herissé 1911), King Akaba (1685-1708) conquered the area of Sinwé (or Sinhoue) under the pretext, that the local King Save forbade foreigners to enter the country (le Herissé 1911, 293).

Although the palace is of relatively late date, it con-tains important information on rules governing the con-struction and use of royal complexes. The palace is said to have been built during the times of King Glélé (later incarnated as Dah Gauslégo Kakai Glélé). It is orientated NW-SE (310 N). In the palace are two historical cars of the post-WW II period. At the main entrance is a walled-up gate - used only by the crown prince when entering the palace. When he leaves as a king, he does so through the main gate, thus marking the shift from prince to king.

One of the biggest concentrations of caves of the sim-ple Didonou type was recorded at Sinwé (cf. Catalogue 2). At Sinwé-Jalokou (presently an unidentifi ed locality), King Guézo established a school for training the Ama-zons (Alpern 1998, 40). Further to the South, beyond the

boundaries of the Abomey plateau, the landscape chang-es. Thus, caves are not known from the next villages of Sinwé-Zounme and Sinwé-Zougoudo.

The area of Tindji has been regarded as a direct sub-ject to Abomey. Today, remains of at least three royal compounds are found around Zeko (Fig. 4.1:17-18). The oldest one is attributed to King Guézo and lies to the South of Zeko. Close by is another compound, attrib-uted to Degan, the son of King Glélé. This palace is rather small and locally known as Degan’s small palace. The big palace of Degan lies at the NW outskirts of Zeko.

Kana held the most important position in the Daho-mean Kingdom after the capital Abomey. It is regarded as the local Vatican, or supreme ritual centre, a position witnessed by all available written sources. King Agadja (1708-1732) started the tradition of building new palace compounds at Kana (Fig. 5.4). As at Abomey, several pal-ace compounds have been recorded around the town. The stories related to the founding kings of the eight so far identifi ed Kana palaces are not unanimous. For instance the founder of the Kana-Agouna compound is claimed to be both King Agadja (1708-40) and King Agonglo (1789-97) (Fig. 4.1:24). The most comprehensive qual-ity research on Kana palaces has been carried out by J.C. Monroe (Monroe 2005; 2007).

The Palace of Guézo (1818-1858) is situated NW of Kana (village of Gbangnanmè/Gbengamé); it is a square compound, consisting of at least three courtyards (Fig. 4.1:25; Plate 13:7). The dimensions are ca. 460 x 460 m. The external walls are well preserved, up to 5 m in height. Their thickness is ca. 0.8 m. The palace follows the usual orientation – NE to SW (290˚-130˚). The better visibil-ity is towards the NE-E, reaching 8-10 km. Some fi nds, among which a glass bead with S-shaped ornaments (by type Venetian, a so-called byconical gololo) collected at the palace walls, suggests a late date of occupation, i.e., the end of the 19th Century - the time of King Glélé (1858-89).

Just 600 SE of the palace of Guézo are the remains of the Palace of Agadja (Fig. 4.1:27). Its presence is marked by a few standing walls (up to 3 m in height); the original size is diffi cult to estimate. The orientation of the remain-ing walls is apparently the traditional one - NW to SE.

Other palaces around Kana are attributed to King Kpengla (Kpohon) (11 ha, Fig. 4.1:28), King Tegbes-sou (Degueli) (34 ha, Fig. 4.1:26), King Agadja (Totah) (12 ha, Fig. 4.1:29), King Glélé (Mignonhi) (15 ha, Fig.

Acta Archaeologica

5

4.1:30) and again King Glélé (Wankon/Guédéhoué), the easternmost of the Kana palaces (Fig. 4.1:31; Fig. 5.5).

Looking at the overall distribution of the palaces outside Abomey and its close surroundings, it becomes evident that they are placed alongside the 30 m wide road between Abomey and Allada begun by Agadja af-ter 1724 and continued until coastal Ouidah (beyond Al-lada) by King Tegbessou (1740-74). M. Herskovits pro-vides the information that this old road corresponds with the present day road between the two towns (Herskovits 1967), i.e. RNIE2. This circumstance explains the orien-tation of the palaces, in fact facing the road.

At Agondji, the remains of a princely palace were also recorded (Fig. 4.1:16). According to local people, it was a palace of King Glélé’s son, generally called Aho (= prince). The palace has recently undergone total destruc-tion and only the outline of the outer walls is seen in the landscape. The palace is following the usual orientation of NW to SE, being some 60 x 50 m in size.

A further palace, of Prince Sodeugang/Zodéhougan, was recorded at the road to Allada (RNIE2) (Fig. 4.1:32). This structure is fully reconstructed, or rather built anew, and therefore not investigated further.

Remains of a palace was also registered at Kotokpa (Fig. 4.1:33). According to the local informant, it used to be the Palace of Zodéhougan (?), one of King Glélé’s sons. The walls of the palace are still standing up to 2.5-3.0 m high. The palace measures 220 x 180 and is orien-tated NW to SE.

Some remains of the Palace of King Glélé can be seen in Allahé, located in a remote area without connection to any modern settlement (Fig. 4.1:34). It measures around 7 ha, with walls preserved until 2.7 m in height, and 0.7 m thick. The clay used for wall construction is tempered with pieces of hardened laterite, bones, glass and cera-mics. Foundations of several buildings could still be seen covered with cotton plants. Thick baobab trees are grow-ing around the whole palace compound. The place chosen for the palace is a prominent spot in landscape providing a good visibility fi eld in all directions, but best in the N and NW direction, towards a depression of the landscape, where it reaches at least 10 km.

Remains of two more palaces - of Kings Guézo and Glélé were recorded in Zangnanado, where they, accord-ing to the oral tradition, were used as military bases (bar-racks) for the Amazon warriors (Fig. 4.1:35-36).

Finally, south of Abomey, at Zounzonmè, a palace of King Glélé was recorded, which also is an important cer-emonial place (Fig. 4.1:23; Plate 13:6).

LITERARY INFORMATION

Norris 1789 The king has two houses, called Dahomy and Gringo-my, in the town, and another without the gates, called Dampogey, they are about the same dimensions as that at Calmina: and, like it, are enclosed by a mud wall, about twenty feet high. In passing the guard house at the door of Gringomy house I observed a great number of human skulls, fi xed on small stakes on the roof of it: they were the heads of prisoners taken in war [see Plate 6:5-6]. On each side of the door was a pile of human heads, at least fi fty in each; and at a few yards distance, opposite to the door, was a small stage about ten feet high, on which lay about two dozen heads of unfortunate victims, who had been sacrifi ced a few days before, at some of the late fes-tivals (p. 93).

Forbes 1851, vol. 1Cannah covers about six square miles of ground; in it are four palaces of large extent, and each house has its piece of ground under cultivation dividing it from its neigh-bours (p. 64).

The palaces at Cannah are vast enclosures, entered only and inhabited by the females, wives, amazons, and slaves of the king. In the walls of each are covered entries or gates, at which the monarch receives visitors; and a guard supervises the ingress and egress of the inhabitants (p. 66).

Leaving the south gate, the traveller passes through the town of Beh-kon (Gbèkon?), occupied principally by the palaces of Cumassee and Ahgon-groo (Agonglo?) … whilst from the south-west gate the road leads to another royal palace (p. 71).

Forbes 1851, vol. 2Visited the palace of Ahgongroo (the father of Guézo), at a distance of three miles from Abomey by the south gate: a large enclosure, like all palaces in Dahomey, only inhabited by women (p. 178).

Literary Information

Bénin Archaeology. The Ancient Kingdoms