The Ẹkpẹn (leopard) is an animal that appears most often among the motifs decorating the Emwin Arhe (royal treasures). The Ẹkpẹn symbolises the valour and strength of the Ọba, as well as his political authority. The Benin people eulogise the Ọba as the ‘ẹkpẹn n'owa’ (leopard of the home).

When a hunter kills a leopard, he must say “ẹkpẹn n'oha” (I killed a bush leopard), as it is taboo to say that a hunter killed a leopard without specifying that it is a bush leopard, as otherwise this would “be tantamount to symbolically killing the king” (Nevadomsky 1988, p. 81). For this reason, leopards of the bush are called Atalakpa to distinguish them from those that represent the Ọba.

Compared to the Ẹkpẹn (leopard), the Eni (elephant) is not as prominent in the visual language of the Emwin Arhe (royal treasures). It is found on two elephant-head pendant masks and as a full figure, with a chief standing on top of it, on some staffs, but more recurrently only as a trunk, either curved or straight, sometimes terminating in a human fist clenching a bunch of leaves. For example, in her PhD thesis, Barbara Blackmun ( ) identified eight different kinds of ‘trunk hand’ motifs on the Aken'ni Elao (carved tusks) alone.

When a chief or important man passes away, it is said in Edo that ‘an elephant has fallen out of society’. Eni are also said to be the ogie (lord) of the animals, and together these associations have led to the interpretation of Eni as symbols of chiefs, possibly even rebel chiefs, in Benin iconography ( ). Based on the qualities of the animals themselves, representations of Eni on the Emwin Arhe (royal treasures) are believed to represent “physical power, leadership, wisdom, and longevity” ( ).

Ẹyẹn (snakes) are among the most common animals depicted by Edo artists on the Emwin Arhe (royal treasures). The varied depictions of these reptiles suggest different snake species, including the Ikpin (python), Arhunmoto (puff adder), and Olose (red-black striped snake); therefore, here we use the generic term for snake: Ẹyẹn.

The identification of snake motifs and depictions as Ikpin, as well as the importance accorded to this species, is a subject of scholarly debate. Paula Ben-Amos (1976, p. 247) argued that the Edo admired the “stature, colouration and crushing power” of the python, which was in turn associated with Olokun. She went on to identify the brass figures of snakes that formerly adorned the roof of the palace, as well as several other snakes, as pythons. Joseph Nevadomsky (1988, p. 77) argued instead that the importance of the Ikpin had been overstated.

Some of these snake representations may in fact be the Arhunmwoto (puff adder). The first to suggest this was the German curator Felix von Luschan (1919) in his early research into the Benin royal treasures. Nevadomsky (1988, pp. 79–80) suggested that the large head, narrow neck, and rough scales are indicative of either the puff adder, a symbol of “material wealth, tribute, and gifts,” or the Gaboon viper.

Another kind of snake that may be depicted is the Olose (red-black striped snake). It has the praise name “king of the snakes” in Edo. Olose is also closely connected to the deity Olokun, both because of its attractiveness and because it inhabits wet environments such as forest streams, which in turn flow into rivers and the sea, where Olokun lives (Nevadomsky 1988, pp. 76–77). Although the exact meanings of these different snakes vary, they share the characteristic of being spiritually powerful creatures.

Depictions of Ewi (mudfish) are among the most frequent motifs in the Emwin Arhe (royal treasures). Mudfish hold an important place in Edo belief, both as representations of the god Olokun and as symbols of royalty (Plankensteiner 2007, p. 410), as well as of “prosperity, peace, well-being and fertility” (Ben-Amos 1976, p. 245). Mudfish are also particularly common animals for sacrifice, and mudfish-shaped Orhiẹvbẹ (kola-nut boxes) were used to make offerings or store kola nuts.

Yet, the appearance of Ewi across the Emwin Arhe is not consistent, and it has been argued that different species of mudfish were depicted by Edo artists, each with different qualities and capabilities. For example, the electric shock of Malapterurus electricus resembles the fierceness of the Ọba, while the liminal qualities of the Synodontis clarias mudfish, which lives both on land and in water, similarly reflect the Ọba’s rule over land and sea (Gallagher 1983, p. 93). With these different qualities in mind, the mudfish is an important symbol of Benin kingship and royalty.

Sometimes the Ọba was depicted by artists with mudfish rather than legs (see Ọba with Mudfish Legs).

The fist motif—particularly a clenched fist with an extended thumb—carries significant symbolic weight. It is central to the cult of the hand, a major aspect of Edo religion that focuses on an individual’s ability to achieve success through their own actions, skills, and enterprise ( ). This cult is primarily observed by those who have already attained considerable wealth or status, including hunters, warriors, and craftsmen.

The fist symbolises physical prowess and strength, denoting the individual’s might and accomplishment ( ). The hand is credited with enabling the accumulation of great riches and high status. This is sometimes linked to the idea that wealth results from both personal effort and the favour of Olokun, the god of wealth. On Ukhurhẹ (ancestral staffs), a clenched fist or hand grasping a mudfish signifies royal or chiefly authority. The image of a hand holding a coiled mudfish can also illustrate the Ọba’s formidable power to “cast and then release a curse” or to “set up obstacles and remove them” ( ). The fist is sometimes accompanied by other motifs symbolising strength, chieftaincy, and longevity, such as tools like the hammer and pliers or feathers of the vulturine fish eagle ( ). The fist motif is frequently depicted on Aken'ni Elao (carved tusks), on wooden Ikẹgobọ (altars to the hand), and on Ukhurhẹ.