The Ubanu'hi (infinity symbol) is a kind of guilloche or interlaced strapwork motif that can be angular or rounded. It was used by Edo artists in the decoration of many Emwin Arhe (royal treasures) and is ubiquitous in Benin royal arts. Ubanu'hi is a shortened form of “uba no Ọba ya de agbon ke ehimwin yi”, which means “the rope with which the Ọba ties the heaven and earth together” (pers. comm. Chief John Igbineweka Inneh n’Igbesawman, 2022). Similarly, Paula Ben-Amos Girshick (in Plankensteiner 2007, pp. 339, 341) described this as “Ọba n’iri agbon”, or the “rope of the world” pattern.

According to Ọbabanmu Ineh (in Blackmun 1984, p. 51), the use of this motif indicates that objects were carved by members of the Igbesanmwan. However, the motif is found on all types of Emwin Arhe (royal treasures), not only those made of ivory or wood. On the flanges of the Ama (relief plaques) alone, Kathryn Gunsch (2018, pp. 75–77) identified three different versions of the Ubanu'hi and, through her analysis of over 850 plaques, found that these different Ubanu'hi forms align with other characteristics, such as dimensions, the prevalence of ornamental motifs, and stylistic qualities. Together, these provide evidence, she argues, of different production groups among the plaque makers .

Kate Ezra (1992, pp. 209, 264) went on to argue that the use of these motifs indicates that certain objects were used in a “royal context” and were associated with “royal patronage”.

The trunk hand motif, comprising an elephant’s trunk ending in a fist, is believed to have complex and varied symbolic meanings. During the 15th and 16th centuries, the era of the warrior kings, the motif appeared only occasionally. During the 18th century, it was revived to honour the richest of all Ọbas, Ọba Akenzua I. This was particularly the case on the Aken'ni Elao (carved tusks), and the trunk hand motif commonly appears on these ivories from the 18th century and throughout the 19th and into the 20th centuries ( ). In her PhD thesis, Barbara Blackmun ( ) identified eight different kinds of motifs of this type on the Aken’ni Elao alone, indicating that the form itself is variable. In addition to the ivory Aken’ni Elao, the motif also commonly appears on the flanges of Uhunmwu-Elao (commemorative heads), the bases of Urhotọ (altar tableaux), and some ornately decorated bronze Ukhurhẹ (ancestral staffs).

The elephant trunk hand has been interpreted as a symbol of physical power ( ) and strength ( ), and as the “ultimate Hand of Hands” ( ). A past Ihama n’Igun-Ẹrọnmwọn ( ) interpreted the motif as a symbol of “taking life”. On some Emwin Arhe (royal treasures) where the trunk hand motif is present, depictions of human sacrifices are also present, representing the ultimate power held by the divine Ọbas. The potent nature of the trunk hand motif is further emphasised by Barbara Blackmun through the combination of “the head of one of the most powerful animals with a hand that grasps with enormous strength”; together, these signify “the acquisition of great wealth for the kingdom” ( ).

These motifs are known as Uhunmwu Ikpotoki in Edo, which translates as ‘Portuguese head’ in English. Portraits of Portuguese men, featuring only their heads and sometimes their shoulders, were used by artists as motifs on the Emwin Arhe (royal treasures), in particular on the Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (bronze relief plaques) and Aken'ni Elao (carved altar tusks). Also included here are a series of two or three conjoined spirals, which are interpreted as abstract forms of this motif.

One of the earliest suggestions that many of the European figures depicted on objects were Portuguese was made two years after the 1897 British Colonial Military Campaign on Benin City by the British Museum curators Charles Hercules Read and Ormonde Maddock Dalton (1899, p. 19), based on testimony from seven chiefs in the aftermath of the military campaign. The long, straight hair, beards, and domed hats together led to the identification of these representations as Europeans (von Luschan 1919, pp. 54–57; Ezra 1992, p. 246).

When included within the visual imagery of the Emwin Arhe, the Portuguese are associated with the new Atlantic trade and the consequent wealth that emerged following first contact with the Portuguese in the late 15th century. For this reason, Portuguese heads are also often associated with the sea deity Olokun. Eisenhofer (2007, p. 59) argued that the Portuguese figures and heads as motifs on the royal treasures are symbols of the king’s power: “these depictions of foreigners helped to build and strengthen the king’s image.”

When incorporated into the design of the Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (bronze relief plaques), Curnow (1997, p. 48) instead argued that these motifs could in fact indicate events that took place during Ọba Esigie’s reign. Ọba Esigie is associated with the Portuguese, as they became increasingly important during his reign, assisting with battles against the Igala from Idah, bringing Catholicism to Benin, and introducing weaponry such as guns and cannons, which were instrumental in the expansion of the kingdom.