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.

Hairstyles are used to determine a person's status in the society, as chiefs, common folks, chief's wives and the wives of the Ọba all wear different hairstyles. We have Okuku, Ikpe~okhokho, Idu~akpata

Figures wearing a headdress with a single protrusion from the crown of the head, known as the Oro, are found only among the Ọba and a select category of palace dignitaries whose ancestors originated in ancient Ile Ife ( ; Ọbazee 2025, p. 407). Only the Osa and Osuan, custodians of the Uwen and Ora deities, as well as members of the Emuru, who are responsible for the care of Iru vessels, may wear a headdress with the Oro. The identification of different figures is therefore interpreted based on the combination of the Oro with other items of regalia. Artists in the Igun-Ẹrọnmwọn and Igbesamwan depicted figures with the Oro on Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (bronze relief plaques) and Aken'ni Elao (carved tusks), respectively. The Oro would either be made of coral beads as part of the crown or headdress, or be woven from itoto fibre ( ).

Ikharo are linear keloid markings depicted on the forehead of Uhunmwu-Elao (commemorative heads) in groups of three or four above each eye. The exact meaning of Ikharo is debated; some have argued that they relate to the gender or tribal identification of the person on whom they are depicted. For example, has argued that they were worn only by men; however, their use in depictions is not consistent with this, and the Iy’Ọba are also shown wearing them. argued that they are instead a stylistic feature employed by artists that varied over time.

The naming of these markings differs between publications. For example, describe these markings as “agbaguda n'ehae”, which they write translates literally as “blades of the forehead”. However, later went on to call these “ikharo”, as used here. referred to these forehead markings as ikharo, meaning “tribal mark [of eye]”.

Iwu are facial and body markings (scarifications) that were historically worn by Edo men and women. However, since the 1960s, the practice has been nearly extinct (Aisien 2011). In the past, Iwu were used as a way of proving that one was an Edo citizen, and the ceremony of having Iwu completed was an important rite of passage for men and women. The Osiwu, who also practised circumcision and other surgical procedures, would carry out the procedure of adding Iwu. There are different types of Iwu: ‘blades’ worn on the torso (Iwu-eko), and those worn on the face, such as Ikharo (three or four markings above the eyebrows), Irho (two narrow ‘blades’ worn on each cheek), Ovbihue (nasal ‘blades’), Ovbi-agbanmwen (chin ‘blade’), and Igho-okpa/Ukpgho (three forehead ‘blades’) (Aisien 2011, p. 22).

The number of Iwu also varied depending on the identity of the person wearing them. For example, royal men would wear six ‘blades’ on their torso, whilst men who were not royal would wear seven ‘blades’. Meanwhile, the Ọba’s female children would wear fifteen ‘blades’, and all other women would wear sixteen (Aisien 2011).

The Emuru are a guild established during the reign of Ọba Ẹwuare I, who appointed its members to care for the sacred Uru (brass vessels). The Emuru are responsible for ensuring that the Uru are brought to the palace for the festivals and ceremonies in which they are required, including Ugie.

Members of the Emuru are represented on both Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (bronze relief plaques) and Aken'ni Elao (carved tusks), although their appearance differs between the two media. On the Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn, artists from the Igun-Ẹrọnmwọn depict Emuru carrying sacred Uru topped with a ram’s-head finial and flanked by coiled braids. Like the Osa and Osuan, members of the guild were permitted to wear the tall Oro projection woven from itoto fibre extending from the crown. They also wear a chain around the hips and skirts with patterned sashes hanging down on either side ( ).

On Aken'ni Elao produced from the 18th century onward, however, the Emuru are generally depicted in a more simplified form. In all but one known example, they carry a simplified Uru without the ram’s-head finial, holding it directly in front of the torso rather than on the left shoulder. Their skirt-like garments are also replaced by what Blackmun describes as a “diaper-like” wrapper ( ). The single exception is an Aken'ni Elao dated to approximately 1730–1750. Here, the Emuru remain simplified, but the figures retain the Oro projection on their crowns; the characteristic coiled braids are absent and their clothing is likewise simplified.

Odigba (coral-beaded collar) is a rigid neck collar made of coral beads, worn as part of ceremonial attire only by senior princes who have been made Enigie (Inneh 2007, p. 107). Although Ibafe (2007, p. 43) argued that the Odigba was introduced during the Ogiso period (c. 900–c. 1170 AD) by Ogiso Ere, along with other symbolically important Emwin Arhe, such as the Ada (ceremonial sword) and the Ẹbẹn (ceremonial sword), this seems unlikely, as coral was only introduced in the late 15th century through trade with Portuguese merchants.

On the Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn (bronze relief plaques) and Aken'ni Elao (carved tusks), a particularly sacred type of brass Iru is shown being carried by members of the Emuru. These are globular jug-like vessels cast in brass with a long neck, topped with a ram’s head form. However, fragments of a similarly shaped bronze object (E 1902.457) have been identified, suggesting that this may have been a rattle rather than a vessel ( ).

Members of the Emuru guild, which dates back to the reign of Ọba Ẹwuare I, are shown holding Iru, particularly on the Ama-Ẹrọnmwọn. According to oral tradition, these Iru were taken by Ọba Ewuare from Olokun’s palace. Their spiritual powers were manifested through voices chanting “ise,” the affirmation used in Edo prayers. However, when Olua succeeded Ẹwuare I, he smashed the Uru and found nothing inside them. Only afterwards were the Emuru instructed to carry Uru resembling those taken by Ewuare ( ; ; Chief Osuma in Bradbury 1958, B.S. 113).