Commemorative plaque

The Benin Empire, which flourished in present-day Nigeria between the thirteenth and nineteenth centuries, had an exceedingly rich sculptural tradition.

One of the kingdom's chief sites of cultural production was the elaborate ceremonial court of the Oba (divine king) at the palace in Benin.

Surviving in great numbers, they were manufactured from sheet brass or latten, very occasionally coloured with enamels, and tend to depict highly conventional figures with brief inscriptions.

In addition to geographically defined regions, individual organizations, such as E Clampus Vitus or the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, can choose to maintain a national set of historical markers that fit a certain theme.

[11] The scheme was established under the influence of the British politician William Ewart and the civil servant Henry Cole.

The earliest historical marker to survive, commemorates Napoleon III in King Street, St James's, and was also put up in 1867.

[13] The original plaque colour was blue, but this was changed by the manufacturer Minton, Hollins & Co to chocolate brown to save money.

[15] Historical markers (Filipino: panandang pangkasaysayan; Spanish: marcador histórico) are cast-iron plaques installed all over the Philippines that commemorate people, places, personalities, structures, and events.

This practice started in 1933, with NHCP's predecessor, the Philippine Historical Research and Markers Committee, which initially only marked antiquities in Manila.

An example is the blue plaque scheme run by English Heritage in London, although these were originally erected in a variety of shapes and colors.

[23][24] The Dead Comics' Society installs blue plaques to commemorate the former residences of well-known comedians, including those of Sid James and John Le Mesurier.

A range of other commemorative plaque schemes, which are typically run by local councils and charitable bodies, exists throughout the United Kingdom.

Other schemes are run by civic societies, district or town councils, or local history groups, and often operate with different criteria.

Plaque in tribute to Claude Bernard at Collège de France in Paris
A Benin Bronze plaque
An example of a lightbox used as a commemorative plaque
This sign in Dickson, Australian Capital Territory commemorates the establishment of Canberra's first aerodrome and its first fatality in the 1920s.
A plaque commemorating the victims of a mass execution during the Axis occupation of Greece in Fregkaina, Greece
Sir Henry Cole helped set up the first historical marker scheme in 1866.
Commemorative plaque at Halley Park in Victoria, Australia
Löwenberger Land (Germany)
Unveiling of a historical marker.
This Greater London Council blue plaque at Alexandra Palace commemorates the launch of BBC Television there in 1936.
These historical markers indicate the location of Francis Parkman House , a National Historic Landmark on Beacon Hill in Boston, Massachusetts .
Typical mid-20th century official New York State Historical Marker for a minor battlefield, free standing on a suburban street