Examines the customs and rituals related to birth, childhood, and adulthood. Key Themes & Historical Significance Dahomey, An Ancient West African Kingdom
While the full two-volume work covers the breadth of Dahomean civilization, focuses primarily on the foundations of the state and the daily mechanics of its society. Its primary sections include: Dahomey, an ancient West African kingdom, vol. 1
A deep dive into the kingdom's complex economic system, covering production, distribution, and the centralized taxation of agricultural products like palm oil. Examines the customs and rituals related to birth,
The book is a landmark anthropological and historical study authored by Melville J. Herskovits . Originally published in 1938, it remains one of the most comprehensive ethnographic records of the Fon-speaking people of present-day Benin . Overview of Volume 1 The book is a landmark anthropological and historical
Details the origins of the kingdom, which was founded around 1600 CE. It explores the "path of the leopard" origin myths and the migration of the Fon people to the Abomey plateau.
Analyzes the structures of kinship, clanship, and secret societies that formed the backbone of Dahomean life outside of the royal palace.