Abomey

Abomey was the capital of Dahomey, the Fon kingdom that dominated this coast for two and a half centuries and financed itself largely through the slave trade. Twelve kings each built a palace within one great earthen enclosure, and what remains is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The bas-reliefs on the palace walls are the kingdom's own record of its wars and its symbols, each king represented by an emblem. The museum holds thrones, appliqué banners and the ceremonial regalia of the court, including a throne mounted on the skulls of defeated enemies.