Periods, Cultures, Styles  > Ife

Ife

Ife is today regarded as the spiritual heartland of the Yoruba people living in Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, and their many descendants around the world. From the 12th to the 15th centuries, Ife flourished as a powerful, cosmopolitan, and wealthy city-state. It was an influential center of trade connected to extensive local and long-distance trade networks which enabled the region to prosper. Ife’s origins can be traced as far back as the sixth century.