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Archaeologists conducting the largest excavation ever undertaken in Benin City, Nigeria, have uncovered extraordinary evidence of the Kingdom of Benin's sophisticated urban planning and artistic mastery. The groundbreaking discoveries, made during construction of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), reveal previously unknown details about one of Africa's most powerful medieval civilizations. For the first time in 50 years, researchers have systematically excavated the historic royal palace complex, exposing cultural layers up to three meters deep that chronicle more than a millennium of human occupation. The findings, just published in Antiquity , challenge conventional narratives about African civilization and demonstrate the remarkable sophistication of Benin's urban development, which rivaled European cities of the same era. Radiocarbon dating indicates occupation predating