Asoro (spears) were used as weapons in battle and for hunting ( ; Ọbazee 2025, p. 37). According to , there were two types: long and short. Figures holding Asoro are often depicted on Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (bronze relief plaques), sometimes in battle scenes and at ceremonies and festivals.

Ọyanyan (horses), along with their riders, are significant motifs in the visual language of the Emwin Arhe (royal treasures), appearing across various media and periods. Although the Benin Kingdom lies in the tropical region of West Africa affected by the tsetse fly, according to oral tradition, a small, stocky breed of horses introduced via trade routes from Nupe and Hausa was known in the kingdom from the 13th century (Dolz in Plankensteiner 2007, cat. no. 215, p. 434).

In 1505, King Manuel of Portugal sent a horse, alongside other luxurious gifts such as satin and Indian silk, to one of the Ọbas, most likely Ẹsigie, as a gift (Ryder 1969, p. 41). An account believed to have been written by the Dutch traveller Dierick Ruiters in 1602 described how he travelled from the port of Ughoton to Benin City on horseback (Blackmun in Plankensteiner 2007, cat. no. 138, p. 367). In the same account, Ruiters also described how the Ọba and his courtiers rode on horseback as part of ceremonial processions (Blackmun in Plankensteiner 2007, cat. no. 221, p. 441). A scene of this kind is also featured in the view of the city of Benin in Olfert Dapper’s Description of Africa (1668).

Ọyanyan therefore embody themes relating to military power, foreign interaction, and royal authority (Nevadomsky 1986), as well as “dignity and achievement” (Curnow in Plankensteiner 2007, cat. no. 115, p. 351).

Ikpotoki figures (Portuguese figures) are easily distinguished by their European-style clothing, including hats and helmets, as well as by their facial features, particularly their thin, straight noses and straight hair. The objects Ikpotoki figures are shown wearing or holding provide further indications of their relationship with the Benin Kingdom. When they hold or are positioned alongside Ugianran (manillas), for example, they indicate trade, commerce, and wealth, while weaponry such as firearms, swords, or spears indicates their role as mercenaries in the service of the Ọba. In 1515, Ọba Ẹsigie went to war against the Attah of Idah, the ruler of a neighbouring kingdom. Portuguese mercenaries and weapons assisted the Edo in winning the battle, enabling the further expansion of the Kingdom. Ẹsigie’s reign was particularly important for strengthening ties between the Benin Kingdom and the Portuguese Empire, and he is believed to have spoken fluent Portuguese. With Ẹsigie’s encouragement, Portuguese missionaries established churches in the Benin Kingdom ( ; ), while Portuguese trading factories were also established ( ). Ọba Ẹsigie allowed his son to be baptised and sent him to Portugal to be educated; following his return, he became Ọba Orhogbua ( ).